


Kingdom of Rhudaur

by Feanoldo



Series: Kingdoms of the North [1]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:01:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26601835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feanoldo/pseuds/Feanoldo
Summary: The kings of Rhudaur and their histories until its fall, and then some.
Series: Kingdoms of the North [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1935187





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> List of Rhudaur's rulers and timeline.

Kings of Rhudaur  
Aldarion 861 - 951  
Orodreth 951 - 994  
Eldathorn 994 - 1031  
Eldarion 1031 - 1107  
Forodacil 1107 - 1176  
Rhugga 1176 - 1235  
Elenwen 1235 - 1307  
Aldor 1307 - 1347

Timeline: Third Age  
51 Annexation of the Hillman Kingdom as royal principality of Rhudaur. The ruling prince is appointed by the King, usually one of the younger brothers of the kings.  
112 Annexation of the Eriadorian kingdom of Rhaglaw by King Valandil of Arnor.  
164-166 Mong-Finn's Rebellion in Rhudaur. The Hillmen are defeated by Prince Eldacar. Founding of the citadel at Cameth Brin. House Melossë established as a Marcher lord.  
500 High King Tarcil of Arnor campaigns against the Orcs of Gundabad and Goblin-gate. House Ilterendi granted status as Marcher Lords.  
652 High King Valandur is slain during a revolt of the Hillmen of the eastern marches. Accession of King Elendur. House Maglilas granted the status as Marcher Lords in order to pacify the Ettenmoors.  
861 Eärendur dies, splitting his kingdom into three. His youngest son Aldarion is crowned King of Rhudaur. House Endril established as the last Marcher Lords.  
934 Tioviel Melossë dies and her son Iaundil becomes tir.  
949 Aldarion attempts to reunite Arnor after the last of his brothers dies. The war ends in a mere skirmish at the Battle of Three Stones.  
951 Orodreth crowned King in Rynd Morva Tarth after Aldarion is laid to rest in Bar Fernerain.  
953-66 The border skirmishes become more serious, with livestock being taken and a few people are slain.  
985 Prince Orothorn is murdered by a Hillmen, and  
986 Mt. Gram falls to the goblins.  
988 Eldathorn crowned King in Rynd Morva Tarth after Orodreth dies.  
1005 Tir Heleghir Endril slays the cold drake Maeluigoll (S. Wise Seducer) on the slopes of Helegras (S. Ice Horn) in the Rhudaur spur of the Misty Mountains. His two children accompanied him. They are able to unite the Estaravë and the Lossoth as well as the dwarven troops of Carn Dum and fight the orcs of Mt. Gram who come to seize the treasure at the Battle of the Frozen Plain.  
1010 Hillmen attempt an uprising, but it is brutally put down after the death of Tir Iaundil’s son Tinilildor Melossë.  
1016 Goblins begin raiding the lands of Rhudaur  
1022 Eldathorn begins mobilization of his army to defeat the Goblin Confederacy that had sprung up in the Misty Mountains.  
1024 Tir Conuihir Endril dies in Mount Gram after infiltrating the mountain and diverting a mountain stream that floods part of the goblin’s halls.  
1031 Eldathorn slain by the goblins of Mt. Gram during a pitched battle outside its gates during the Siege of Mt. Gram. After his son Eldarion is crowned, the new King wages a bitter campaign against the goblins, lasting 10 years.  
1041 Tir Ailil Melossë slain during an assault at Mt. Gram. Unable to break the siege, Eldarion ends the siege and fortifies Pen Morva.  
1054 A dark figure named the Dark Sorcerer first appeared and began gathering isolated goblin tribes under his control. At this time, Goblins of the Misty Mountains rise and begin raiding Rhudaurrim settlements.  
1058 The largest gathering of goblins in over a thousand years marches into Rhudaur. King Eldarion summons his troops and met the enemy as they began to enter into the heart of Rhudaur. During the Battle of Himring, King Eldarion is knocked unconscious by a troll, and Tiril Collheryn Endril takes command of the Rhudaurrim army. She rallies the army, and sends the goblins fleeing in disorder. The goblins are so disorganized that they cannot assemble enough of their people for two years. Collheryn is granted the position of Marshal of Rhudaur.  
1061 Tiril Collheryn Endril commands an army that smashes the Goblin Confederacy at the Battle of Penmorva. The tiril lures the goblin hordes out of their mountain fastness and crushes them with a surprise cavalry attack led by Tir Taladriemir Melossë. Two tribes of goblins are exterminated, and the rest are severely massacred. Tiril Collheryn personally led an assault on Mount Gram’s gate, but a mysterious spirit wrapped in black robes stopped the army at the gate, but he was driven away by the heroic actions of Collheryn, but not before he was able to cause a rock slide that sealed off the southern gate of the mountain.  
1084 War rises between the sister kingdoms. Rhudaur and Arthedain dispute Cardolan’s attempt to control the palantír at Amon Sûl. The conflict becomes known as the War of the Weather Hills. Though the leaders attempt to keep bloodshed to a minimum, the death of Prince Valandil of Cardolan during the first Battle of Nen-i-Sûl makes the war even bloodier.  
1086 Hillmen raise up in hopes of using the Cardolani war as a distraction. King Eldarion puts it down.  
1087 Battle of Sarn Ford – Celebwendir is slain by Raugatan Girithlin, who is slain by Tiril Collheryn.  
1096 Fighting ends as Cardolan’s economy collapses due to the war. Amon Sûl’s status reverts to what it was before the conflict. Collheryn Endril lays down her marshal’s staff and tiril circlet.  
c. 1100 The first immigration of Hobbits into Rhudaur occurs when a tribe of Harfoot found the village of Glendown in the Angle.  
1102 A large raid by the orcs of Mt. Gram causes damage to Maglilas lands as well as the royal holdings around Pen Morva. King Eldarion marches north and defeats the orcs at the Battle of the Ettendales.  
1103 Eldarion lays siege to Mt Gram again.  
1105 Eldarion’s youngest son Hallas is slain during a campaign against the orcs.  
1107 Eldarion dies of a broken heart early in the year. Forodacil takes up his father’s crown.  
1108 The siege of Mt. Gram ends.  
1114 Imlossiel Melossë captured and used by the Hillmen to ferment rebellion in the north, but is put down after  
1138 Tensions begin to mount between Rhudaur and Cardolan. Petty raids of burning and stealing livestock slowly build into more serious border raids.  
1139 Cardolan mounts a punitive raid into Ilterendi lands, briefly laying siege to Dol Gil.  
1140 Fëafuin uses his newly discovered machine-golem to penetrate deeply into Fëotar lands and batter down the gates of Othrond, Cardolan’s most prominent fortress near Rhudaur’s border. In light of Rhudaur’s new weapon, Cardolan endeavors to make peace with Rhudaur. They propose marriage between Prince Calimendil and Cenàriel Endril. This angers King Forodacil who suspects treachery on the part of House Endril. Peace is agreed upon.  
1142 King Forodacil marries Gilthoniel Ilterendi.  
1144 A fire in Coron Iaur kills the tir’s mother and grandmother, as well as his sister Maedhwen. Many suspect Elvemir.  
1145 Arthonion and Arthoniel, twins of Forodacil and Gilthoniel, are born at Rynd Morva Tarth on 20 February (30 Nénimë), the first day of Aerandir. At Dunno, Mordaewen Maglilas gives birth to Rhugga and his still-born sister. It is said that every Baobhan Sith in the Trollshaws cried out the moment of Rhugga’s birth. Also, that night there is an eclipse of the moon.  
1146 Hillmen rise up in rebellion, led by Mordaewen.  
1150 Fallohide tribes of Hobbits enter into Rhudaur and settle along the banks of the Loudwater and found the village of Willowbend.  
1161-8 Bountiful harvests abound across the kingdom during what would be called the “Seven Bountiful Years”.  
1169 A sizable orc raiding party strikes across the Oiolad, intent on attacking Barad Calnë.  
1170 A deadly fever sweeps across the kingdom, born on a north wind from the plains of Angmar. One in twenty people die from it. The Queen herself dies from it, despite the best efforts and the last minute appearance of the Wizard Curunír. Arthoniel is taken as Curweb Erui (S. "first skillful (person)"; Apprentice) of Curunír.  
1171 A disease strikes the cattle and sheep of the kingdom, killing over half of the livestock. An earthquake strikes Dol Duniath, destroying it.  
1172 Arthonion, crown prince of Rhudaur, is slain during the Battle of the Ford of Raunbrôg against rebellious House Maglilas. Arthoniel becomes Forodacil’s heir. Rhugga becomes Tark Arm. King Forodacil marries Thurdaewen Maglilas in a move to secure his northern tir.  
1173 With House Maglilas weakened, orcs begin raiding in the north, even going as far as besieging Penmorva briefly. Despite this, the crops were one of the bountifulness since 1163.  
1174 The coldest winter weather freezes the country from September to May of the next year. Hungry White Wolves range as far south as the Great East Road, devouring any prey they can find.  
1175 After the snows and ice melt, flooding is rampant along the Mitheithel and Bruinen. The banks of the Mitheithel are so full that no one can cross from the Mithannon to the Old Bridge. At Fennas Drúnin, the water is the highest in recorded history.  
1176 “In that year there was seen a star wonderful to behold, throwing out behind it a beam of light of the thickness of a pillar in size and of exceeding brightness, foreboding what would come to pass in the future:” Arthoniel, crown princess of Rhudaur, is assassinated when Tir Elvemir Maglilas discovers Arthoniel is seeking Tir Maeghir Endril’s hand in marriage. She is placed in the Craig of the Dead Kings, where she rests under a Life-keeping spell cast by Fëafuin. Reginal, an illegitimate daughter of Forodacil, is taken by Dunnish raiders and Lylludd, the Dunnish High Chief, makes her his wife. King Forodacil sends his forces after his daughter. Without any military, Cameth Brin is vulnerable to attack. Seizing the opportunity, the ever rebellious Hillmen strike. Forodacil is slain during a surprise coup by the Hillman Rhugga the Usurper. The Dúnedain are driven out of Cameth Brin and all the Trollshaws. Elenwen, the King’s nominal heir, is captured by the Hillmen and raised by them. The kingdom is in an uproar as the tiri must fend for themselves. Rhugga is crowned King by his mother as the common Rhudaurrim rally around the Hillman chieftain.  
1177 Rhugga begins his integration of his Hillmen and Dúnedain and Haëredain subjects. Mellelleth Ilterendi rebels against her brother Tir Padathir Ilterendi. An abortive attack is made by the Dúnedain in the south. They lay siege to Dol Cultirith, but the Hillmen attack their supply lines and the Dúnedain retreat. Half of Pinnach Aegring is lost to the Hillmen.  
1181 Battle of the Plains – Tir Padathir, with Hillmen help, fight the rebels led by Mellelleth. The rebels are defeated, and forced to flee to the far southwest, splitting Dún Glandagol.  
1189 Disease sweeps through Rhudaur, leaving behind many dead.  
1197 Calimendil, King of Cardolan, begins to assemble an army to conquer Rhudaur, which had fallen under Rhugga. Calimendil's claim stems from his mother, Fororían sister of King Forodacil.  
1210 Rhugga takes Elenwen as his wife.  
1215 Calimendil, King of Cardolan, crosses the Rhudaur border and battles to regain the crown of Rhudaur.  
1216 All of Rhudaur save the Trollshaws falls to Cardolani forces. The next years are spent trying to pin down the Hillmen rebels and find Forodacil’s Heir.  
1220 Princess Dunrían have her troops begin the long road to attack Cameth Brin after Calimendil begins his war. The first attack on Dol Cultirith ends in disaster and Dunrían has to rebuild her forces for the next fifteen years.  
1235 The Year of Three Monarchs. Early in the year after the snow melts (Gwirith) Rhugga is slain in battle. Two months later (Nórui), Elenwen’s army is trapped at Cameth Brin, and Calimendil destroys it. The Usurper’s head was put on a spear to observe Calimendil’s coronation and the taking of his wife. The night after his coronation, orcs from Mt. Gram arrive, and the Cardolani are trapped. Calimendil and many of his nobles are slain during the fighting. The goblin king presents the crown to Elenwen and she is crowned queen by the assembled Rhudaurrim. Calimendil’s line disappears, though there was a sighting of his granddaughter Princess Fororían, and of Queen Elenwen herself giving birth to Prince Aragund’s bastard nine months after the massacre.  
1247 The Rhudaurorn descendants of House Maglilas form their own kingdom of Ceredigion.  
1255 Elenwen marries  
1256 Tir Padathir Ilterendi’s attempt to carve his own kingdom out of the Oiolad fails when Queen Elenwen’s army storms Barad Calnë and slays Padathir. The kingdom of Tegwared is formed from its remains.  
1259 The Accords of Iant Methed are signed. The agreement recognizes Elenwen’s claim on the throne, and grants the tiri near independence.  
1264 Aldor’s son Bragotail Maglilas and Kôradaphel Lothurin is born.  
1267 The Dwarven fortress of Gundabad falls to the orcs led by Balcog  
1270 A leader called the Witch King appears among the Angmarrim. Many Lords swear allegiance to him to spare their lands from the Orc-plundering. The Dwarven hold of Barazbizar (Carn Dum) is taken four years later. Within ten years, the kingdom of Angmar becomes established.  
1296 The death of Princess Dunrían ends their active role in recovering the throne of Rhudaur. Her daughter Arthuriniel had married Dunestel’s heir, and the hopes of a reunited House Rhudainor lie with their son Orodreth.  
1297 After her power base was lost, Elenwynigig became desperate to keep hold of what power she had. She offered negotiations with Tir Auredhir Eldanar and all of his sons under the banner of truce, no weapons allowed, at the castle of Penmorva. But the truce was a deception. Assassins from Angmar had hidden themselves in a closet where the Eldanar men were staying, and slew all four men, crippling Eldanar leadership for years to come, and allowing the construction of the Angmarean castle of Barad Morkai on the Eldanar border.  
1306 Collheryn Endril dies, leaving the question of the leadership of the Pinnach Aegring in question between Sûladheryn and her illegitimate half-brother.  
1307 Queen Elenwen dies on the last day of the year. Her son Aldor, son of Peddtyc, is crowned. But Aldor is not able to hold  
1325 Dyr Eldanar is captured and its tir slain. His heirs escape to Arthedain.  
1335 The armies of the Witch-King cross the Southern Spur and invade Rhudaur. The Hillmen offer weak resistance, and most often they are ready to swear allegiance to the newcomers. But Aldor summons a mysterious force and sends back the orcs, leaving the Angmarrim army unsupported by their shock troops.  
1336 Rule over the western part of Dyr Eldanar is re-established by the heir of the last tir, supported by Arthedain.  
1347 Driven mad by his quest for magic, Aldor is murdered in his bed by his steward. His dubious son Elagost is crowned King.  
1352 Angmar invades Rhudaur, pushing most of the weak King’s forces aside. Most of the army quickly switches its loyalty to Angmar.  
1355 Spurred by his paramour tiril Sûladheryn Endril, Elagost attempts to reassert his power. The King is slain, and Angmar drops all pretenses of ruling through the line of descent from the old lines. Galmarad the Steward takes the throne. Celebendil Melossë and Sûladheryn Endril rebel, but are put down. Endril lands are briefly conquered and Tiril Sûladheryn is slain. During the winter, Minas Brethil is destroyed and tir Celebendil and all of his family, save his pregnant wife, are slain.  
1356 As a pretext to stationing such a large number of troops, After the spring planting, King Argeleb I of Arthedain crosses over the Oiolad to enforce upon the Rhudaurrim his title as King of Arnor, but Rhudaur’s ranks were swelled with Angmarrim, and Galmarad surprises the Arthedain King after his army crosses the Mitheithel and heads south towards the capital of Rhudaur. Battle of Onar’s Field. King Galmarad then invades Arthedain on the false pretense of control of Amon Sûl’s palantír. The intervention of Cardolan saves the Northern kingdom from the Rhudaurrim invasion.  
1387 Galmarad dies during a quarrel with one of his chieftains over a serving girl during a drinking feast. Argil the Great is crowned in Cameth Brin.  
1397 Orcs lay siege to Copperhold.  
1399 Copperhold falls to the orcs of the High Pass.  
1407 A late spring freeze strikes most of Arthedain and parts of northern Cardolan. Almost the entire wheat crop fails.  
1408 Argil assassinated when Angmar decides that he is not making proper progress in preparation for the upcoming war. Kingship is somewhat murky, as Angmarrim control moves in. Finally, General Methdarin of Angmar takes the crown in order to prepare for the invasion the next year. Tirthôn becomes the first Gondyrn-onen-Egladil to fall before winter sets in.  
1409 The rest of the Beacon towers falls as Angmarrim troops secure the Angle as a base of operations, stockpiling supplies. When the Hoarwell freezes in early spring for the first time in its history, the Witch-King leads Angmar’s armies west. Caught by surprise, Arthedain and Cardolan mobilize their armies, with Cardolan taking longer due to the distance they have to travel. Weathertop is destroyed, and the kings of Arthedain and Cardolan are slain.  
1410 Methdarin is slain by Hîr Paurhir Endril, later known as Kingslayer, and the Angmarrim loose direct control of Rhudaur. Dunblae, a Dunman, takes the throne.  
1421 Dunblae dies on Paurhir’s blade during a raid on Cameth Brin, and his son Tigh takes the throne.  
1432 Belegorm becomes King after he defeats Tigh in battle.  
1447 After Belegorm is slain during a battle with Angmar, Guthmund, a Northron mercenary, steps in as ruler of Rhudaur.  
1453 The Dunnish chieftainess Urd ni Caedyn takes the throne after Guthmund bores with ruling the kingdom and leaves for Rhovanion.  
1464 Madoc ap Urd takes the throne after his mother is slain by trolls. Encouraged by Angmarean silver and weapons, he begins to gather the Hillmen for the attack.  
1466 The Great Raid on Arthedain occurs. Most of the tribes supported by several orc tribes penetrate deeply into Arthedain, reaching as far as seeing Fornost. Madoc takes Nendiniel Eketta as his wife forcibly.  
1489 Kryn ap Madoc is put on the Rhudaur throne after his father is slain by Eketta forces. Kryn slays some of his Dúnedain kin.  
1504 Belegon, son of Belegorm, ambushes Kryn and his guards with the aid of Tir Paurhir, slaying the ruling King. Belegon takes the throne of Rhudaur.  
1514 Belegon is slain during a punitive raid against House Maglilas at the Battle of Keláthad. Belegduin his son takes the crown.  
1525 Battle of the Fords of Raunbrôg – Stopping the Angmarrim crossing of the Hoarwell at Amon Raunbrôg, King Belegduin bloodied the Angmarrim invasion force, but fell to the club of a troll chieftain.  
1549 Angmar has gathered enough troops to straighten the crisis on its southern border. Beregor is eventually forced into the Ornuil Valley.  
1551 Vanadil Maglilas assumes the throne after Beregor in despair disappears. Vanadil’s arrogance grows and quarrels with Angmar. His wife is Lochmal ni Kryn, daughter of King Kryn.  
1554 Vanadil Maglilas meets a violent end when his wife sticks a dagger into him while he is sleeping with his mistress. Briam, the Dunlending High Chief, assumes the throne.  
1579 Cadarn is crowned King of Rhudaur.  
1589 Paurhir is slain by Angmarrim Ulgarin Twilight, a Half-elven sorceress from eastern Endor, who holds the post of Speaker of the Dark Cult, the second most important position in Angmar. Half of the elite Black Rangers are slain with the Kingslayer. His son Mablung is acclaimed the new Tir of Endril, but is raised in exile in Arthedain and Lindon.  
1591 Some of the fiercest fighting between Cardolan and Rhudaur breaks out.  
1593 Fuinlôr slays Cadarn and crowns himself King of Rhudaur.  
1627 Fuinlôr is slain by Morvudur, the Northern Slayer. Ermegil, Captain of Fuinlôr’s Trererath troops, replaces him.  
1630 Ermegil invades the Angle with a force of mercenaries and Rhudaurrim levies. Lady Aelflaed is forced out of her lands after her daughter Eorein was captured by Ermegil.  
1631 Mablung travels back to Rhudaur, he heads to Cameth Brin. He visits the burial chambers of the last King’s family, and there raises Arthoniel, last of the daughters of the line of Aldarion. Arthoniel is raised from the dead on 23 September (2 Narquelië) (Last day of Ariel)  
1632 With Princess Arthoniel, Mablung searches Rhudaur for the Rod of the Rhudainors.  
1634 Arthoniel travels to Arthedain to continue her study of magic. Mablung takes this time to gather enough men to retake Rhudaur.  
1637 Plague strikes Rhudaur. Arthoniel returns to both the Highlands and Lowlands without Mablung’s knowledge. Arthoniel tries to ease the sickness of the Plague in the lands of Rhudaur.  
1638 Last year of Plague. Arthoniel gains Trust from the people of Rhudaur as she attempts to heal the sick. Eorein marries Bemakinda, the great Canotar general.  
1640 Eorein Melossë’s forces begin attacking Rhudaur. After marching along the Bruinen, and crossing at the Fords, she comes in behind Ermegil’s forces. Broggha’s Hillmen stay out of the conflict, letting the lowlanders fight it out amongst themselves. Fennas Drúnin is taken intact when the gates of that city were opened from the inside by Arthoniel and Mablung Endril. Within five weeks, the land south of the Great East Road and west of Hoarwell are freed. The Angle is taken, and control of the Great East Road stretches from Amon Sûl to Rivendell. Other forces under Arthoniel begin raiding deeper into Ermegil’s land, freeing western Rhudaur. Barad Calnë rebuilt and occupied by Mablung Endril. Barad Calen rebuilt by the heirs of House Ilterendi.  
1643 Thuin Boid is expanded, and many refugees from Cardolan settle in the Angle.  
1644 An attempt is made by King Ermegil to invade the Angle, but falls apart when Tir Tinrandil dies during the siege of Tirthôn. Any Hillmen support of Ermegil falls with the northern Tir. The Angmarrim occupation of Minas Brethil is ended by an assault on the ruined keep by the mercenary Duinhir Crannherth, and he rebuilds the keep without Tiril Eorein Melossë’s knowledge or permission. After a brief standoff, Duinhir and Eorein settle their difference and agree to marry.  
1645- The Hillman Revolt in Rhudaur. It ends with  
1648 a Hillman Targ-Arm on the throne in Cameth Brin, secretly under the control of the Witch King.  
1647 Forces under Arthoniel begin assembling in the Angle for war the next summer.  
1648 Ermegil is slain by Mablung at the Battle of Dol Cultirith. Arthoniel briefly held by Broggha, but she is ransomed by Mablung. Angmar establishes Broggha on the throne as King. Raids into the Angle increase.  
1650  
1654 Battle of Amon Agarwaen. Major defeat of Hillmen forces as they try to force their way into the Angle. Mablung was waiting for the Hillmen to step into his trap, and almost 500 Hillmen fell before they broke and retreated into the Trollshaws. Disunity among the tribes begins to fracture Broggha’s power.  
1655 Disaster strikes when Maschbram captures Arthoniel. Broggha falls to Maschbram's intrigues, and Angmar sends the Northern Slayer to bring the Hillmen into line. Maschbram is put on the throne, with Arthoniel as his unwilling queen. She escapes a month later to Rivendell with the aid of a captive elf.  
1665 Second Invasion of Rhudaur by Arthoniel’s forces. Her troops leave the Angle and Oiolad and fight in the Trollshaws and Ettenmoors; Eldanar and Cameth Brin put under siege. Cameth Brin captured in spring.  
1666 Arthoniel and Mablung quarrel and go their separate ways. Bruggha is acclaimed Targ-Arm by the Hillmen tribes.  
1667 Bruggha proposes an alliance and marriage to Arthoniel. She accepts and is married late in the summer. The day after their wedding, an Angmarrim army invades, and they flee Cameth Brin. They are forced out of all conquered land except the Trollshaws, the Angle, and parts of the Oiolad by Maschbram’s troops by late fall.  
1668 Arthoniel gives birth to twins. She and Bruggha quarrel, and separate. Arthoniel takes up residence at Herubar Gûlar, and Bruggha resides with his Hillmen.  
1669 Maschbram is slain by Mablung at the Battle of Glen a Creag, but all of Arthoniel’s forces are pushed back to the Angle and Oiolad by Angmarrim troops. Korekalwen, a Silvan elf, seduces Bruggha to Angmar's side; Bruggha is crowned King of Rhudaur in Cameth Brin after promising to serve Angmar. The kingdom is fractured. Forces loyal to Arthoniel are pushed back into the Angle. Mablung is exiled and marries the Pelenwen, the Hîril Tyrn Gorthad  
1670 Princess Alquawen, fiancée to King Arvegil of Arthedain, is kidnapped by Bruggha’s men as part of a plot initiated by the Witch King to draw out the forces of the Dúnedain.  
1671 Early in the year Caranthir, an ex-patriot Arthedain requain, rescues Alquawen, and the Angmarrim forces in the Oiolad are ambushed and wiped out by a combined Arthedain/Endril ambush. Korekalwen is captured. Stalemate settles in between Arthoniel and Bruggha.  
1672 Mablung slays Umaug, chief of the orc tribe the Backbreakers, during a battle in the late snows of early spring. By mid-spring, Bruggha relents and reconsolidates with Arthoniel. Arthoniel give birth in the last month of the year to a son, Clennan, a sign of their reconciliation.  
1676 Mablung’s son Barahir is born.  
1677 Arthoniel give birth to a son, Comyn  
1683 Mablung is summoned from exile and Arthoniel’s twins are fostered onto Mablung. Carlindi  
1684 Arthoniel gives birth to a daughter, but loses the child to milk fever.  
1687 Cathair secretly heads to Carn Dûm to recover Rhudaur’s crown, but is captured by the Witch King’s men. His will is broken, and is sent back to Rhudaur as the Witch King’s man.  
1688 Cathair tricks Arthoniel and Mablung into a tryst, and Mablung is exiled to his lands.  
1689 Angmar invades Rhudaur, led by the Troll Rogrog. Mablung fights at the battle of Pen Morva, is injured by Rogrog but defeats the western wing. The Rhudaurrim eastern army on the Trollshaws side of the Hoarwell is broken after the betrayal of House Maglilas and Clan. Cathair leads the Cultirith rangers during the siege against his mother and father.  
1690 Cameth Brin falls, King Bruggha slain by Rogrog. The Princes Clennan and Comyn fall as well. Arthoniel flees to Barad Calen with her daughter and a small band of followers during the winter. Fëafuin sends the last of his constructs out of Herubar Gûlar, and saves the fleeing royal party, but later pays the price when the Angûlion visits.  
1691 Carlina gives birth to her daughter Bronwyn. The father is Zimrubâr, the son of King Ostoher taken at Tyrn Gorthad by Angûlion and raised in the service of Angmar. Eariel Tatharim gives birth to Feagûlion, son of Fëafuin.  
1692 Barad Calen falls, and Mablung flees east with Arthoniel and Bronwyn. Black Rangers, led by Cathair, track them across the Trollshaws, until they almost come to Rivendell. Pelenwen dies, and Mablung flees east with the remaining Haëredain. Mablung weds Arthoniel in Rivendell at the end of the year.  
1693 Carlina becomes the last Tark Arm of the Hillmen.  
1696 Short on rations and frustrated by his inability to track down the last Hillmen; Rogrog dines on Elebrindir Maglilas and his men, wiping out Coron Iaur.  
1698 The last of the Hillmen are wiped out in Rogrog’s War. Carlina is taken to Carn Dûm by General Khursh. Rogrog is severely wounded by Mablung and Arthoniel. Mablung and Arthoniel move with all remaining Haëredain into Eregion. Rogrog tries to take Fennas Drúnin, but he fails when Celebendil Melossë slays him at the gates of the town.  
1700 Mablung begins the search for Carlina. Unknown to him she is sent to Dol Guldur.  
1701 Arthoniel gives birth to Arthonion. Mablung stumbles across the Angmarrim trader that took Carlina to Dol Guldur. Mablung presses him to take him there.  
1705 Arthoniel gives birth to Cebermoth, her son by Mablung. Carlindi dies at Dol Guldur.  
1714 Arthoniel gives birth to Nimroswen.  
1726 Mablung slain by trolls in the Ettenmoors. They were tracking him with the aid of Ulgarin Twilight. His body and arms were recovered by Arthedain rangers and returned to his widow as a sign of respect.  
1832 Russandol and Rustambor, twin sons of Arthonion and Princess Arbainwen of Arthedain, are born.  
1851 Angmar invades Arthedain in a winter campaign, but overstretches its supply line.  
1856 Arthoniel and Ulgarin Twilight battle it out in Cameth Brin. Both are slain by the explosions inside the fortress. Thenidîr bares his mistress to her grave, and seals her back into her crypt for the last time. Released from the favorable influences of his mother, Cebermoth begins exploring Rhudaur in earnest. Arthonion takes up the Chieftainship of the Haëredain.  
1857 Arbainwen gives birth to a daughter Timbridhil  
1891-1892 The Red Flux (influenza) sweeps through Eriador. Up to a tenth of all people die.  
1892 Arbainwen gives birth to a son Helkarod.  
1907 Cebermoth falls into darkness, and tries to raise the trolls of the Trollshaws along with the half-troll Yngrog  
1974 An early cold fall freezes the Mitheithel River, and Angmar forces sweep west for one last time. The Arthedain army stumbles, and is swept to the Lhûn. Arthonion, Chief of the Rhudaurrim, falls in battle. His son, Russandol becomes the Ardolen. Helkarod escapes from Fornost with Arfiniel daughter of the King of Arthedain.  
1975 Gondor and Lindon send aid, and crush Angmarrim forces. Haëredain forces act as Elrond’s guard when he enters Carn Dûm.  
1980 Dwarves mining in Moria unearth a Balrog.  
1981 Dwarves flee Moria.  
1990 Grulag, last of the Witch-King's Olog-hai, takes over from Cebermoth and Yngrog. The two become his lieutenants.  
2105 Cebermoth is slain by Bladorwen, a Sinda maid from Rivendell. She, along with four other nís and their seven children, flee south, where they are rescued by Russandol and Rustambor, Cebermoth's nephews. Bladorwen is taken by Russandol to be his wife.  
2137 Baragorn son of Rustambor is born.  
2157 Rustambor dies, Baragorn takes the chieftainship.  
2158 Baragorn marries Bladoriel. She bears him twins Bragoedhil and Bragoelleth.  
2161 Bladoriel gives birth to a daughter Bladorwen.  
2218 Baragorn captured by Orcs of the High Pass and slain. Bragoedhil extracts revenge and takes up the chieftainship of the Haëredain.  
2220 Bragoelleth marries Celebrain.  
2240 Bragoelleth gives birth to  
2243 Bragoedhil marries Erelindi, daughter of a Ranger of the North.  
2267 Erelindi gives birth to Turgon.  
2295 Turgon marries  
2311 born  
2354 born  
2364 Bragoedhil dies  
2411 born  
2441 Celebedhil dies.  
2475 born  
2480 The orcs bar the passes over the Misty Mountains. It takes twenty years for Dwarves, Elves, and the Haëredain to reopen them.  
2510 Tauredhil dies; Taurmacil rides with Eorl. He stays with the Rohirrim until word reaches him of his father’s death.  
2576 Taurmacil leaves Rhudaur and travels  
2720-2750 Orcs invade Cardolan, slaying or driving off most of the remaining Eriadorians. An attack on Tharbad fails, and the orcs drift away due to lack of plunder. Fëotar ceases to exist as a united realm, and Súduri becomes the political center of the Gwathló settlements. Similar orcish raids in the north devastate Bree-land.  
2758-2759 The Long Winter. Five months of icy, freezing weather chill the hearts of all in Eriador, causing great loss of life. Haradaic Corsairs conquer the coastal areas of Eriador as part of the war, but divert their strength in assisting in the Dunnish attack against Rohan and do not penetrate farther north than Tharbad.  
2760-2800 Local Eriadorian forces, aided by the Rangers, organize revolts and drive the Corsairs from their bases along the coasts.  
2911 The Fell Winter. Rivers freeze, including the Brandywine. White Wolves roam Eriador.  
2912 Unprecedented floods following the Fell Winter destroy the Great Bridge and devastate Tharbad (which is abandoned).

List of Battles  
0949 Battle of Three Stones- not much fighting went on, but it began the armed conflict between the three sister kingdoms.  
1058 Battle of Himring -  
1041 Battle of Penmorva - Tiril Collheryn Endril commands an army that smashes the Goblin Confederacy at the Battle of Penmorva. The tiril lures the goblin hordes out of their mountain fastness and crushes them with a surprise cavalry attack led by Tir Celendel Melossë. Two tribes of goblins are exterminated, and the rest are severely massacred. Tiril Collheryn personally led an assault on Mount Gram’s gate, but a mysterious spirit wrapped in black robes stopped the army at the gate, but he was driven away by the heroic actions of Collheryn, but not before he was able to cause a rock slide that sealed off the southern gate of the mountain.  
1084 Battle of Nen-i-Sûl – Collheryn commands Rhudaur’s forces. Using the Nen-i-Sûl to block Cardolan’s superior Ragger forces, the Cardolani elect to fight under a severe disadvantage. Prince Valandil, the brother of Collheryn’s son-in-law, attempts to force his way out of the losing battle by heading straight towards Collheryn. During the ensuing battle, Collheryn slays Valandil. After his death, the Cardolani loose heart, and Collheryn withdraws as the Cardolani forces head back into their lands.  
1172 Battle of Amon Raunbrôg – House Maglilas, encouraged by Kalabphazgân, the fell Black Númenórean sorcerer, Elvemir Maglilas raised up his levies and rebelled against King Forodacil. Kalabphazgân captured a fell beast called a tarwegni (Hi. Bull of Might), one of the creatures of fairies, and gave control of the creature to Elvemir. The creature quickly routed the royal forces at Penmorva on the field of battle in the summer of 1172, and a siege set in. Word made it to Cameth Brin, and a royal relief force was sent north. Commanded by Prince Arthonion himself, the young heir of King Forodacil slew the tarwegni when the two armies joined in battle at Amon Raunbrôg. The Maglilas troops began to break at the death of their main weapon, when Elvemir, aided by the magic of Kalabphazgân, made it past the prince’s guards and stabbed Arthonion, slaying him. Maeghir Endril, the King’s Marshal, tried to save the prince, but failing that, he tried to slay Elvemir. After crossing blades with the Marshal, Elvemir lost his right arm above the elbow, and would have lost his head if Kalabphazgân and Mortereg had not intervened. With the death of the prince, the royal forces departed the battlefield in good order, while the death of the tarwegni took the fight out of the Maglilas forces. Two weeks later, Elvemir’s niece Anuwen and her daughter Thurdaewen arrived at Cameth Brin to sue for peace.  
1176 Hillmen Rebellion – Rhugga, the Hillman High Chief, used King Forodacil’s sorrow after the death of his daughter to rise up in rebellion. The King and most of his court was slain, and the Rhudaurrim Dunlendings followed the Hillmen’s lead. Saeros Eldanar,  
1176 Battle of Bregolad’s Steading – Rhugga’s Easterling allies and some of his Hillmen, believing that the Dúnedain of Rhudaur are totally defeated, headed across the Oiolad to claim Collheryn’s dragon treasure. They are met at the small hamlet of Bregolad’s Steading by Endril’s forces led by Calenhir Endril. Only one out of ten of the invaders made it back across the Hoarwell after being soundly defeated. The victory was not without cost, for Calenhir was slain during the battle.  
1181 Battle of Dol Bruinen – Tir Padathir, with Hillmen help, storm the rebels led by Mellelleth at this castle. The rebels are defeated, and forced to flee to the Angle.  
1235 Battle of Cameth Brin – For fifteen years King Calimendil of Cardolan, nephew to King Forodacil, fought and battled the Hillmen in order to regain the crown. Finally, the Usurper was trapped at Cameth Brin. The fortress was breached for the first time, and Rhugga was slain and his young wife and Calimendil’s cousin Elenwen was captured. The victorious army began celebrations, but the arrival of the orcs of Mt. Gram summoned by Rhugga descended upon the wearied army, and most of the leadership of the army, including the King, were slain. Elenwen became heir and took command of the army that had been captured by the orcs. Kings Rhugga and Calimendil slain.  
1355 Battle of the Ford of Carandor – Radhruin Ilterendi sought to stop the Rhudaur King from crossing into his lands. He was successful, though Radhruin fell.  
1355 Battle of Dol Gil – besieged during the open stage of the First Northern War, Rhudaur captured the important fortress on the Great Eastern Road. Tir Glirhuin Eldanar was slain during the siege.  
1356 Battle of Minas Brethil – Early in the First Northern War Angmar’s forces had to neutralize Celebendil’s forces in order to secure the attacking army’s left flank. The fortress was destroyed, and House Melossë exiled. Tir Celebendil Melossë slain.  
1356 Battle of Dol Gil – After Minas Brethil was destroyed, Dol Gil was next. This critical castle on the Great East Road was first isolated by Wolf Riders, then the walls breached by orc engineers.  
1356 Battle of Barad Calnë – The main Angmarrim army headed towards Amon Sûl sent a sizeable detachment to besiege Barad Calnë and Tiril Sûladheryn Endril. She was slain, but the bulk of her army was able to flee via hidden tunnels, and was able to head west and warn Arthedain’s eastern fortresses.  
1407 Battle of Tirthôn – although besieged many times during the struggle between Melossë forces and Dol Cultirith forces, this time was the most serious to date. Angmar covertly sent silver and orcs to aid in the taking of this key tower and gateway to the Angle. Marendil Rhudainor was slain, but Uialglin Tyrn Gorthad, acting as a mercenary, took command and beat off the attack, which included the Blogath sent by the Easterling commander.  
1408 Battle of Tirthôn – All pretense of only internal Rhudaurrim involvement disappeared when Angmar set siege to this watch tower. Melossë forces were quickly taken by sorcery in one day.  
1408 Battle of Thuin Boid – this fort was a greater struggle, but it took two weeks to take the walls and massacre the defenders.  
1408 Battle of the Angle – more of a retreat than a battle, Angmar’s advancing force met their first defeat, if it could be called a defeat, when they failed to encircle the retreating Melossë forces. As a consequence, Vulfredda Melossë was able to escape with most of her remaining cavalry intact. Angrim Eldanar died  
1408 Battle of the Ford of Carandor – Betrayed by his own son, Radros Ilterendi and most of his house’s army fell in this prelude to the Second Northern War.  
1409 Battle of Amon Sûl – After defeating the men of Cardolan at the Battle of Tryn Gorthad, Angmar’s armies wheels north and surrounds the fortress of Weathertop. Damrod Eldanar,  
1421 Battle of Iant Methed – Tir Paurhir ambushes King Dunblae’s Dunlending forces as they try to force their way across the bridge. Paurhir’s superior but fewer forces effectively block the more numerous Dunlending army. King Dunblae slain when he tried to rally his men.  
1447 Battle of the Fords of Bruinen –  
1453 Battle of Tagulari – King Beregor tried to beat back a force of Angmarrim mercenaries at this town. The King was slain and his heirs fled to the lands of House Ilterendi.  
1525 Battle of the Fords of Raunbrôg – Stopping the Angmarrim crossing of the Hoarwell at Amon Raunbrôg, King Belegduin bloodied the Angmarrim invasion force, but fell to the club of a troll chieftain.  
1551 Battle of Carandor – Orcs from the High Pass invaded the Ornuil Valley. Prince Hulorn, son of King Beregor, was slain, sending his father into a fit of depression.  
1551 Battle of Morfadu – The remaining forces loyal to Beregor were defeated by Vanadil Maglilas, and retreated back to Ilterendi lands.  
1591 Battle of Thuin Boid – During an excursion against King Cadarm, Hilfwyn Melossë fell in battle.  
1593 Battle of Tref Ysted – King Cadarm arrayed his army against Fuinlôr, a contender for his throne. Not much of a fight occurred, as the King’s army went over to the golden tongued mage. The King was captured and his throat slit in front of the assembled armies.  
1630 Battle of Thuin Boid – King Ermegil boldly thrust aside Melossë forces and took the fort, including Eorein Melossë, the heir of House Melossë. Aelflaed Melossë left the Angle, and regrouped in the Cantons of Fëotar.  
1640 Battle of Fennas Drúnin – a small band of troops sneaked into the city before the siege began, led by Arthoniel and Mablung Endril themselves, and the gates were opened to the besieging forces of Eorein Melossë.  
1640 Battle of Iant Methed – Fought on the heels of the Battle of Fennas Drúnin, Ermegil’s reinforcements were blocked from entering the Angle and saving his remaining forces south of the Great East Road.  
1644 Battle of the Fords of Bruinen (Arthoniel’s War) – King Ermegil sent a large army from Buhr Calden that tried to penetrate the eastern portion of the Angle’s frontier. After his surprise attack was discovered, the battle was a draw, and Ermegil withdrew.  
1644 Battle of Buhr Calden – After the battle at the Fords, Arthoniel marched north and in a surprise move laid siege to Buhr Calden. The fortress was taken, and many of Ermegil’s troops fled, although many without their arms and armor.  
1644 Battle of Cethrwyd Road – The Maglilas Bogs blocked the path from Buhr Calden, so the Cethrwyd Road from Dol Cultirith to Cameth Brin was taken. A fierce, bloody battle was fought between the Hillmen allies of Ermegil and the infantry of Arthoniel. Despite the heavy fighting, the superior tactics and leadership of Mablung and discipline of his troops brutalized the Hillmen, and they withdrew from any direct fighting, and used only small bands to harass any weakly guarded supply trains.  
1644 Battle of Sruth Boghain – the gateway to the Cameth Brin valley was fought for two days. Arthoniel won the battle, but within sight of Cameth Brin, the arrival of Angmarrim troops under the command of the Mortur Dâurukh forced a retreat back towards the Angle.  
1645 Battle of Tirthôn – the preliminary battle of the year, Tirthôn was besieged, but Arthoniel showed up and forced Ermegil’s troops to abandon the watch tower.  
1645 Battle of Yfelwood – A week after Tirthôn, Ermegil’s forces met Arthoniel’s. The forest prevented Arthoniel from using her superior cavalry and archers, and allowed Ermegil’s Dunnish forces to maximize their efficiency. But Mablung, Arthoniel’s marshal, did not allow his forces to become too entangled in the battle.  
1645 Battle of Dol Cultirith – Retreating to this castle after the Battle of Yfelwood, both sides battled it out, but Arthoniel’s forces withdrew after not having enough troops to create an effective siege and the threat of reinforcements from Cameth Brin.  
1646 Battle of Nothva Rhaglaw – Ermegil’s forces tried to circumvent Arthoniel’s forces, but warned by spies she met Ermegil’s army north of town. So decisive was this victory that it took Ermegil two years to mount another attack.  
1648 Battle of Dol Cultirith – Left with only his mercenary army, King Ermegil fought to the last against Arthoniel’s forces. When his army’s line broke, to a man the army fled, even Ermegil’s guards. At Dol Cultirith’s broken gates Ermegil faced Faniuhir Endril alone and died on his sword. The assembly of the Hillmen tribes caused Arthoniel to retreat back to the Angle. King Ermegil, Daeros Rhudainor,  
1654 Battle of Amon Agarwaen – The watershed battle of this war, Broggha’s troops were reinforced by Angmarrim soldiers. Thrusting into the Angle, Mablung tried to stop the enemy by arraying his troops on this hill, while he kept his cavalry moving around behind the hill and harassing arriving enemy troops. After three days of bloody battle, Broggha withdraws his battered forces back into the Trollshaws.  
1665 Battle of the Morva Dales – Maschbram must turn from marshaling his forces for an attack on the Angle to fend off an invading army coming in from the north.  
1666 Battle of Buhr Calden – During the siege of the fortress, Malbeth Ilterendi sought to tie down the mercenaries north of his lands, but the chieftain in charge of the castle sallied forth, and Malbeth was slain and the siege was lifted.  
1669 Battle of Glen a Craig – The two rivals of King Maschbram, Arthoniel and Bruggha ap Broggha, married and joined their forces against Maschbram. The largest army Arthoniel ever assembled encircled the vale around Cameth Brin, and at the southern entrance to the heart of the kingdom, the two armies fought. Maschbram was slain by Tir Faniuhir after Cameth Brin was taken. Eorein Melossë and Duinhir Crannherth  
1672 Battle of the Crossings of Talathduin – An Angmarrim army is stopped from raiding south.  
1675 Battle of Penmorva – The height of Arthoniel’s and Bruggha’s power, they set siege to the seat of the warden’s power in northern Rhudaur. The initial victory was dampened at the arrival of Angmar’s Morkai army. Arfanhil Angion  
1689 Battle of Iant Methed – Brygath forces under Chukka, Tiril Ethelwyn Melossë’s lover, try to block Melossë levies from marching north to meet up with the rest of Rhudaur’s army. A sudden charge, backed up by the expert horse archers of Wodenwyn Melossë send the lightly armored Easterlings flying north.  
1689 Battle of Rhaglaw River – The western levies of the kingdom, under Faniuhir Endril, stopped Angmar’s army under the dreaded warlord Rogrog from crossing the Rhaglaw River after a two day battle. Both sides were decimated, though the Angmarrim forces were stopped. Forweg Ilterendi, Calengol Eldanar,  
1689 Battle of the Fords of Amon Raunbrôg – The mercenaries of Buhr Calden, the royal levies of Arthoniel, part of the Hillmen tribes, and House Maglilas prepared to stop the Angmarrim from crossing the Hoarwell at Amon Raunbrôg. But House Maglilas betrayed them, and the entire army was slain, captured, or scattered.  
1689-90 Siege of Cameth Brin  
1689 Battle of Dunno – The Hillmen forces from the Trollshaws assembled to rescue their King trapped in Cameth Brin, but inept leadership and division caused by Cathair, son of Bruggha defeated this attempt at a field army, and drove the Hillmen back into hiding in the Trollshaws.  
1690 Fall of Cameth Brin – Princess Carlindi was ensorcelled by Zimrubâr, the Angmarrim warlord, and tricked into leading him and his troll guard into the dark Fuintir. Zimrubâr was ambushed by Bruggha and slain, but Rogrog, another warlord, fell King Bruggha and his loyal sons, and the Angmarrim horde followed him into the fortress. Queen Arthoniel and most of her court fled through a secret passage to Barad Calnë. King Bruggha, Ethelwyn Melossë, Fëafuin Minasfëa,  
1692 Siege of Barad Calnë – only a skeleton guard was left when Angmar’s army arrived in late summer. Most of the people of the Oiolad had fled after the harvest to Fëotar, and only a few select warriors stayed at the battlements.  
1694 Battle of Thuin Boid – An attempt is made to invade the Angle. Stiff resistance is met, and the Angmarrim turn back to their extermination of the Hillmen. Ningloriel Fëotar,  
1698 Battle of Morfadu – the last of the Hillmen tribes is destroyed and Carlindi is taken by the Angmarrim.  
1698 Battle of Fennas Drúnin – Angmar tries to take the town, but the weather turns against the Angmarrim for a change. Tir Celebendil slays the warlord Rogrog, and the second-in-command becomes satisfied with the destruction of Rhudaur and leaves for Angmar before the winter sets in.

List of Wars  
1084-1096 War of the Weathered Hills  
1103-1107 Siege of Mt. Gram  
1176 Hillmen Rebellion  
1215-1235 Cardolani War of Succession  
1356-1359 First Northern War  
1408-1410 Second Northern War  
1514-1551 War of the Pinefells  
1630-1631 Stonearm’s War  
1640 Bemakinda’s War  
1644-1654 Arthoniel’s War  
1668-1669 Trollshaws War  
1689-1698 Rogrog’s War


	2. Aldarion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First king of Rhudaur.

Name: Daúremir Aldarion Eärendurion Tuor Rhudainor (S. Prince of Trees), Neirbleddyn (Bl. Noble wolf) (named by the Hillmen)  
Titles: King of Rhudaur, King of Nothva Rhaglaw, Tywysog y Mebion Bran, Aran Nen Dolcrist, Prince of Arnor, Prince Captain of Rhudaur, Companion of the Western Star

Reign TA 861-946  
Predecessor: none  
Successor: Orodreth  
Father Eärendur, High King of Arnor  
Mother Neldoriel Egenyar  
Born TA 751 in Annúminas  
Died TA 951 at Cameth Brin

Early years  
The youngest of three sons of Eärendur, the tenth king of Arnor, Daúremir had no real chance of inheriting the kingdom of his father. As Daúremir grew up, his favorite stories were about one of his namesakes: Tuor. As the youngest child, Daúremir did not have much in common with his oldest brother Amlaith, who was so serious. His brother closest in age was Thorondur, who Daúremir seemed to easily best without even trying, and was jealous of Daúremir’s ease with weapons.  
So when Daúremir became of age in TA 783, his father asked him what he wanted to do with his life. Daúremir replied “I wish to leave the safety of friends and family, and fight the enemies of the Free People like our forefathers did.” Impressed by his son’s answer, Eärendur presented his son with the sword that would later be named Caunedh Rhudaur and the elven mail hauberk Gedhyn-heleth and gave his son his blessing.  
For a while, Daúremir traveled the relatively peaceful Lhûn River valley, where he befriended the elf Himtiredhil. After chasing a few bandits and tracking wolves that had wandered in from the north for five years, the two friends decided to head east for more dangerous challenges. They found what they were looking for in the border region of Rhudaur. In a nearly disastrous encounter with a troll in the Ettendales, Daúremir was saved by a Rhudaurorn named Gwesthir. After Daúremir was educated in the finer points of troll hunting, the trio headed for the Trollshaws for more adventure. After exterminating several clans of trolls, they freed the dwarf Alvis from the larder of a hill troll. Grateful for his rescue, Alvis joined them, though he and Himtiredhil were always threatening each other. Daúremir incorporated the Company of the Western Star, and became their nominal head.

After years of battling the trolls of Rhudaur and the orcs of the north, Daúremir was resting at Rivendell when Elrond met with him. Travel across the Misty Mountains had suddenly become more dangerous, and Elrond encouraged the Companions to stamp out orcs around the High Pass. Daúremir and his companions fought against the Uruk-tarkhnarb in the Misty Mountains for nearly two years. Their initial ambushes were highly successful, but the orcs learned how to adapted to their foes’ tactics. The orcs of the High Pass proved to be tougher than anticipated. After several skirmishes in the paths near their lair, the Companions of the Western Star were ambushed, and Alvis slain. Daúremir was wounded by a poisoned arrow, and was rushed to Rivendell for treatment. There, a chance meeting would change her life forever. For there he met the beautiful nís Timbridhil. She immediately became attracted to the fearsome warrior, and when he recovered from his wound and left Rivendell, Timbridhil left with him.

_The snow was dotted with drops of dark red blood as Timbridhil helped the injured Daúremir along the Ettenmoors path. A black arrow still stuck out of the Dúnadan prince’s right leg, and the Sinda nís knew that the Skuthrugrai orcs liberally dipped their arrows in poison. The healer now had to choose if the Dúnadan was going to die of blood loss or poisoning. The nís finally stopped, and indicating a large granite boulder, forcing Daúremir to sit down. Understanding what needed done, Daúremir nodded and ground his teeth as she pulled the black shafted arrow out. She then quickly wrapped the wound in a long narrow white bandage, then motioned for him to get back up._   
_The mighty warrior now leaned on the shoulder of the slight elven lady, his body quickly succumbing to the poison coursing through his veins. His small round shield now strapped to his back over his pine green cloak and his sword sheathed by his side, Daúremir now used his bow as a staff as they hurried south._   
_As the path dropped steeply amongst the stunted blue pine trees, the pair hit a slick spot, and they went tumbling down to the foot of the hill. When they stopped, Daúremir was grimacing in pain, though he blurted out no sound. Timbridhil threw back her cloak so that she could work on the wound, revealing the light green top that ended just below her breasts and a matching kilt made up of two layers that split up to the side, revealing her long leg. “You are burning up,” she said, as she felt his leg underneath his padded gambeson. “The poison is already made it into your system!”_   
_“Then leave me,” Daúremir said as he wiped off the sweat off his brow with the sleeve of his tunic. “Do not let the Skuthrugrai catch you.”_   
_“The Skuthrugrai will not catch me, and neither will I leave you.” She said._

While Daúremir recovered from his wound, he developed a plan to systematically eradicate the forces of the Enemy in Rhudaur. He asked his father for and received command of all of Rhudaur’s military forces, and requested additional troops for his upcoming battles. After years of battling the evil creatures of Rhudaur, Daúremir began to concentrate on the orcs of Mt. Gram as the most organized threat to the peoples of Rhudaur as well as being the most isolated. After two years of fighting, the orcs were weakened enough that Daúremir was satisfied with their defeat and he and his companions left for other adventures.  
Although they knew that the drake was around, only the elf Mithlad saw the drake’s pale white body lying in the drifts of snow. But his warning cry came too late. The fell beast was upon them before they could dodge the attack. The beast’s tail struck Daúremir from behind, knocking the warrior onto his back side, and on the return flight the drake tried to swipe Mithlad, but the nimble elf jumped the tail and tumbled a few feet away, his bow up and ready. His arrow struck the flank of the cold drake, but glanced off the hardened scales of the dragon.  
Tired of the causal attack, the dragon swept down and landed in the middle of the party. Derin raised his axe and gave his battle cry of “Irongard!” as he charged forward. Before he could swing his axe, the head of the dragon darted in, and lifted the dwarf in its mouth into the air, and would have started consuming the struggling dwarf if Carnlach had not followed his fellow warrior into battle. Dropping the bloody dwarf from a height of three ranga, the white drake turned toward the new threat and swung a front claw that caught the Dúnadan warrior across the chest. He cried out in pain, but the dragon also cried out, as the ancient blade of his line cut into the dragon’s side. 

_The wind blew in from the north as the dark days of the ice covered plains north of the Grey Mountains. As always, Aldarion led the column, his sword and shield ready, followed by Dinwath and Mithlad with their weapons ready. Gwesthir stayed at the back with Timbridhil, his sword, forged in Gondolin long ago, glowing in response to the nearness of one of the enemies of the elves._   
_As they crossed a small ditch, Daúremir stopped suddenly in his tracks, with everyone else instantly mimicking his actions. Mithlad wrinkled his nose and softly said “Dragon scent!” Quietly as the snow allowed them, they moved forward, but had not moved more than an arrow’s distance when out of a snow bank rose a dragon, its white head towering over them by three ranga. Fangs the length of an eket stuck out of the creature’s mouth, and an evil intelligence shined in the creature’s sapphire blue eyes. A fear froze Daúremir’s bones for a moment, but he put his fear aside, and lifted his sword, forged by the might of Númenor, and the blade flashed up at the drake’s neck, causing only a slight wound that spouted small fountain of light blue blood that splattered his arm, causing intense pain. The dragon’s head darted in, grabbing Derin from the waist up in his mouth. The dwarf’s feet were kicking as the dragon lifted its head up, and then opened his mouth again and the dwarf slipped right down the cold drake’s throat. Behind him, Timbridhil could be heard, calling forth her magic, and arrows were zipping through the air as Mithlad tried to hit a gap in the dragon’s armor._   
_After the dwarf slipped down his throat, the dragon heard the magical words Timbridhil was singing, and the beast rushed forward, knocking aside Daúremir and Carnlach with its body, and swung his tail at Mithlad. The elf dove out of the way of the tail, but Timbridhil was too involved in her casting, and the last six feet of the dragon’s tail wrapped itself around her waist and then it lifted her up, using her as a shield. Then with the speed of a horse, the dragon ran into the tundra._   
_Mithlad began running after the dragon, while Daúremir was trying to help Carnlach and Dinwath out of the snow. “Wait, Mithlad!” Daúremir shouted, even though he knew that the keen eared elf could hear him well enough. “It would be folly to face a dragon by yourself, when you have three swords to help.”_   
_Worry, impatience, and anger were all warring in Mithlad’s mind as his sister was carried away by the dragon, but the pause caused him to stop and think. After discovering that Dinwath had a broken leg and Carnlach had a shoulder out of joint, Daúremir even despaired of using the two men. Dropping his pack, Daúremir stripped himself of any unnecessary equipment, wearing only his cloak over his coat, and his sword Maegramya. From Timbridhil‘s pack he sorted through it until he found a vial with a stopper on it. Satisfied, the ranger began trotting after Mithlad, following the tracks of the ten ranga dragon._

They traveled the lands between the Mountains and the plains east of the Sea of Rhûn. They rode with the Gramuz and Eothraim against their Easterling enemies to the East, hunted the giant spiders in Greenwood, and marched against the orcs of the Grey Mountains. Their band grew as they were joined by Beogaer the Beijabar, Borin the dwarf of Durin’s line from Thundercleft, Kainalapu the Lossoth hunter, Fridwine, the Gramuz ridder, the wise woman Witubni from Laketown, and the Mountainfolk Dernwyth and Dernheth. Their renown in the region became so great that if he wished to, Daúremir could have forged a kingdom of his own in the Wilderland.  
Their greatest adventure occurred when they encountered the dragon Oiohelka on the northern slopes of the Ered Mithrin. They lost several companions during the battle on the northern slopes of the Ered Mithrin, and Timbridhil was taken captive by the dragon. But Daúremir and his only remaining unwounded companions Gwesthir and Himtiredhil followed the dragon back to his lair. There, Himtiredhil used his arrows to blind the dragon with the creature’s own blood while Daúremir and Gwesthir rushed in and finished off the dragon Oiohelka with sword and spear, and then rescued Timbridhil. The dragon was able to injure Daúremir before dying, his claws ripping his chest open.  
After the dragon was dead, Gwesthir removed the dragon’s heart and together, they all tasted the heart of Oiohelka, and gained heightened abilities. Aided by the dwarves of Thundercleft, they were able to strip the dragon of its tough hide and large fangs, which the dwarves crafted into armour and weapons in gratitude for freeing their halls. But the dragon’s curse caused Timbridhil to fall in love with both Daúremir and Gwesthir.

Kingdom in crisis  
861

_Daúremir and Gwesthir led their two mountain horses across the wide wooden plank from the ferry landing onto the wide flat bottomed raft made from hewn wood at the Brannoss crossing. The Rhudaurorn paid the ferryman for their passage, then led Daúremir to where they tied their horses to the rail as directed by the ferryman. A few more locals dressed in the rough tunic and trousers followed them, and stood in a planked area opposite where the horses were. Daúremir and Gwesthir went over to them to balance out their horses. Some of the Rhudaurorn recognized Gwesthir, and when asked to recount some of his tales, the Rhudaurorn lord began with a rather humorous account of an encounter with trolls in his thick highland accent._   
_When the ferry was half full, the ferryman pulled the planks up and untied the line holding his ferry to shore, then grabbed the double rope along with his Rhudaurorn passengers began to pull the ferry across the raging Hoarwell._   
_They had gone perhaps just the length of the ferry when a man on shore shouted “Hold the ferry! Hold the ferry in the name of the Princess!”_   
_The ferryman grumbled to himself, but changed direction and headed back to the eastern shore. Everyone turned towards the latecomers, and Gwesthir saw a group of eight horsemen, their horses larger than those used by most of the inhabitants of Rhudaur. At their head was a Dúnadaneth lady of impeccable beauty sitting sidesaddle on her sorrel horse, her long red dress trimmed with green set with golden pine trees. Behind her was her four mail covered guards, her steward, and maid. And most curious of all was one of the royal knights, his black chainmaille set with silver rings in the front in the shape of a white tree. Once the ferry was back to the dock, she led her band onto the ferry and dismounted with the aid of her steward._   
_Across the other side of the ferry, the beautiful woman must have recognized his companion and cried out “Gwesthir!” she said as she crossed the wooden deck of the ferry over to where the chieftain stood, “I did not recognize you. How are you faring?”_   
_“My lady,” replied the Highlander with a short stiff bow which was typical of his kind. “I am doing well. And yourself?”_   
_“I am also doing well. The king has called a council, and Steward Maenben claims that it will be the greatest council since the time of Elendil. I did not know you were invited.”_   
_“Oh, I am not. I did not know about it. I am accompanying my friend to the capital. His father has called him back while we were in the Wilds.”_   
_“I had not seen you at any of the councils in years. Where have you been?”_   
_“Up north, hunting.”_   
_“Hunting?” she asked. “I heard that the dragons were awakening up north, the first since the fall of the Dark Lord, and that one was even slain.”_   
_“Yes, they are awakening,” he replied._

After their encounter with the dragon, the Lossoth hosted a feast for the dragon slayers. The company wandered apart for a while, keeping the communities in the foothills of the Grey Mountains safe from harm. But several years later a bird messenger from Elrond appeared one morning, summoning Prince Daúremir back to Annúminas. Daúremir eagerly accepted the summons, for he resolved to ask his father if he could take Timbridhil as his wife. Gathering together his companion Gwesthir, they traveled back to Daúremir’s home.  
On the way home in Rhudaur they accompanied the entourage of the local leader of Cameth Brin east to Annúminas. But when he returned to the Arnorian capital, he discovered that his father was dying. Daúremir visited his father on his deathbed, and learned that Eärendur, in order to give his favorite son Thorondur a throne, divided his kingdom into three independent kingdoms of Arthedain, Cardolan, and Rhudaur. The eldest and his mother's favorite, Amlaith, was given Arthedain, while the second born son Thorondur, the apple of his father's eye, was to be given the fertile southern land of Cardolan. Almost as an afterthought and to make the creation of the kingdom of Cardolan legal, the third and last son, Daúremir, was given the wild and unsettled land of Rhudaur to rule as his own.  
Daúremir, now king of Rhudaur, could not take the nís Timbridhil as his wife, but political necessity demanded that he take a human wife. Unable to leave her beloved, Timbridhil returned to Rivendell to ask Elrond if she could represent him in Rhudaur’s court, and has served as Rivendell’s Ambassador from the beginning of the kingdom.

Early years as king  
When King Eärendur died in 861 III, Daúremir crowned himself King of Rhudaur and took the name Aldarion. When Aldarion arrived at the provincial capital of Cameth Brin, he established Gwesthir Endril as one of his lords, giving him his native wild hills of the Coldfells to rule. To the south and west, Tioviel Melossë and Orchaldor Ilterendi were hereditary captains of troops stationed in Rhudaur, and he appointed them as lords of those lands. On the northern border was his old companion in the wars against the orcs of Mt. Gram Hir Dírhavel Eldanar, and Aldarion appointed him one of his great tiri. To counterbalance Orchaldor’s power, he appointed Herudil Maglilas, the largest landowner in the region, as a tir in the north.  
With his nobility set up, Aldarion started looking to marry the right woman. Although Aldarion loved his fellow adventurer, the Sindarin Lady Timbridhil of Rivendell, politics dictated that he take a bride of his own race. He looked at several potential brides, notably Tiril Tioviel Melossë and Tir Dírhavel’s sister. Although Aldarion did not know the true extent of her lineage, the young king was smitten by the beauty of Idril Nienóri, the Princess Protectorate of Rhudaur, and he eventually took the young Lady Nienóri as his wife. Although she knew that she did not have the heart of her prince, Idril felt that it was the time for her house to make amends for the sins of the past. Merging her line with that of the new king, she reunited the Lines of Silimariën and Meneldur.  
Despite earnestly trying, Idril came to realize she was never going to have the heart of her husband. The idealistic Idril was crushed. But she knew her duty. Aldarion threw his will into establishing a kingdom just like his ancestor Elendil. But few pure blooded Dúnedain wanted to live in the wilds of Rhudaur. With the wealth of Oiohelka he was able to expand the walls of Cameth Brin and began building a city suitable for a king. He also began building further north an unwalled city named Rynd Morva Tarth, similar to Elendil’s capital Annúminas, but other than the summer palace and barracks, the city did not develop much further until years later walls were built.

Trouble Starts  
863

 _The army of King Aldarion formed its lines as they approached the Hillmen positioned on the Hilltop south of Dunno. The din from the Hillmen side was loud and raucous, with quite a few of them lifting their hide kilts to show their bare bottoms in contempt to the new king of Rhudaur’s forces._  
  
The local Hillmen tribes did not take lightly the increased Dúnedain presence. Minor revolts broke out and the Tywysog (King of the Hillmen) launched an uprising that every Hillman answered. In the hills along the River Hoarwell, between Cameth Brin and Dunno, the two armies met. But King Aldarion used his knowledge of Hillmen traditions, and offered to fight the Tywysog Kenan Ein Llyw man to man, the winner gaining the other’s crown. Eager to prevent bloodshed, especially with his lightly armored troops, Kenan agreed. Despite the warnings of the Wegech Arm, Kenan gathered up his spear and shield and went to battle the hated ootlin’ king. But the battle did not go as Kenan wanted. Though he fought well, Kenan was defeated by King Aldarion, who after dispatching the Hillman, cut off his head and took the torc of kingship and placed it upon his own neck. The Hillmen were then forced to do homage to the new tywysogy, and the promise that for each living Hillman they would yearly send the king tribute of one losrandir hide, and swore to obey his laws and acknowledged his rights as king of Rhudaur.  
With the Hillmen pacified, Aldarion was free to begin putting his plans into effect without worrying about local uprisings. But the troll and orc populations began to rebound, and the king began helping put down troll incursions around the kingdom. To promote troll hunting, the king made a law that a bounty of ten gold pieces went to the person that could prove that they had slain a troll, with the proof usually being an ear.

Middle years  
After the initial buildup of Rhudaur, Aldarion found himself failing to attract more Dúnedain immigration. When his enticements did not work, Aldarion put into code the racial laws that would divide the Dúnedain from their Rhudaurorn subjects for generations to come.

Later years as king  
After the death of Aldarion’s brother King Thorondur in 936 and King Amlaith in 946, the idea of a divided Arnor lost much of its appeal. A groundswell arose demanding a reunification forced the kings of Arthedain and Cardolan to swear allegiance to Eärendur’s last son. Before Thorondur’s heir had enough fortitude to stand up against his legendary uncle, Aldarion’s two nephews signed the Accord of Amon Sûl, which each would swear fealty to Aldarion as High King of Arnor. But when Aldarion insisted that they show up to pay homage, instead they brought their armies with them. The first battle between the Sister Kingdoms occurred at Nen-i-Sûl, where only a handful of men fought and died, along with the hope of a unified kingdom.  
King Aldarion did not live long after the altercation. He died, and was buried at Bar Fernerain.

  
Family  
Consort Idril Nienóri  
Mistress Sûlindiel  
Echuirdess na Morvath  
Issue  
Orodreth  
Erenaur  
Numenloth  
Alfirin  
Eldanis  
Arnoldur  
Arthonion Brannoss  
Tonnadan Thonconin  
Tonnedhil Thonconin

Timeline  
751 Born in Annúminas in Arnor.  
766 Begins training to become a knight.  
778 Leads a company of soldiers on the Rhudaur border.  
783 Finishes his time in the army. Asks his father for leave to become an adventurer. Travels around the Blue Mountains with his friend Himtiredhil.  
788 Leaves the relatively calm Blue River Valley and heads east to the more dangerous Rhudaur.  
819 Aldarion is wounded by a poison arrow and is taken to Rivendell where he is healed by Timbridhil  
820 Aldarion leaves Rivendell and heads towards the Grey Mountains.  
856 Aldarion and his companions slay the dragon Oiohelka.  
860 Elrond’s messengers find Aldarion and summon him back to Annúminas.  
861 King Eärendur of Arnor dies. Aldarion crowned King of Rhudaur.  
862 Marries Idril Nienóri.  
863 Aldarion fights Kenan and becomes Tywysog of the Hillmen.  
865 Idril gives birth to son Orodreth.  
867 Sûlindiel gives birth to son Arthonion Brannoss.  
873 Idril gives birth to Erenaur.  
879 Idril gives birth to twin daughters Numenloth and Alfrin.  
947 Accord of Amon Sûl signed.  
951 Aldarion dies of old Age.

Notes:

Languages

Bl – Blarm, the language of the Hillmen of Rhudaur. It means ‘Talk’, and is based on Welsh.

NOrc – Northern orcish, the language of the orcs of the Misty Mountains

S – Sindarin, the language of the Grey Elves. It is used by the Dúnedain in their everyday speech.

Bar Fernerain – the crag north of Cameth Brin. It has the tombs of Rhudaur’s kings carven on the inside.

Beijabar – proto Beornings living in the northern Misty Mountains and Grey Mountains (S. Ered Mithrin).

Brannoss Crossing – a calmer stretch of the Hoarwell River near Cameth Brin where a ferry operates. Under the protection of House Brannoss, a minor noble house with ties to the Royal family.

Cameth Brin (Bl. _Twisted Hill_ ) Nen Dolcrist (S. _valley of the cloven hill_ ) – capital of Rhudaur, cited along the Hoarwell river. Cameth Brin rises 830 feet above the only vale in the Trollshaws that might otherwise be called fair. Its base is a steep yet natural hill, but from this foundation erupts a tortured outcropping of naked black granite that leans impossibly far over the southern face. Early in the Third Age, the Dúnedain gained mastery over Cameth Brin after a short but fierce struggle with the Hillmen who controlled the vale around it and the spirits that dwelt within it. They built upon and within the rock a mighty fortress dominating all the Trollshaws, the heart of the land that would become the kingdom of Rhudaur.

Coldfells (S. Pinnach Aegring)– also known as the Pinefells; it is the region north of Rivendell ruled by the Men of Rhudaur. It is the lands of House Endril.

Eothraim – proto Rohirrim horsemen tribes living mostly east and south of Rhovanion.

Gramuz – Northmen tribes that live a semi-nomadic lifestyle south and east of the Long Lake.

Hillmen – labeled by Dúnedain scholars as Endolwaith (S. Middle Hill People), they are the original mannish settlers of the Rhudaur highlands, and strongly resent outsiders.

Lhûn River – the river that separates Arnor from the elven kingdom of Lindon

Mebion Bran – the name the Hillmen use to call themselves.

Morva Tarth – is the name shared by a swamp and a town in northern Rhudaur. These peat bogs lay in northern Rhudaur. A single track lead the through the Morva Tarth, and any who wandered off it stood a good chance of meeting a hidden doom. The swamp was a maze of peat bogs and ponds used by migrating ducks. Some of the bogs were virtually bottomless, and the local Hillmen executed criminals by tossing them hog-tied into the morass. The town of Morva Tarth was the center of what economic life existed in the Ettendales; it also served as a regional military headquarters. The chief fortification of Morva Tarth was the Buhr Calden, once the citadel of the Northmen mercenaries who fought for the Dúnadan Kings in their early wars against the Orcs and Angmarrim.

Nís – pronoun for a female elf

Nen Dolcrist - Valley of the Cloven Hill – the valley surrounding Cameth Brin, the capital of Rhudaur.

Nen-i-Sûl – A small river that flows from the hilltop at Amon Sûl.

Nothva Rhaglaw –The only permanent town west of the Mitheithel, Nothva Rhaglaw was a trading center and a source of local justice. The movements of the semi-nomadic Hillmen, though, caused the town's population to vary widely with the seasons. It lay at the head of the Safin Rhaglaw, a steep-sided valley that—like the vale around Barad Eldanar—was one of the scattered fertile spots in the Oiolad. It was on the old trail that led from Weathertop to Morva Tarth in Rhudaur, and was therefore an important stopover for the few merchants moving goods from Cardolan to Angmar. In the Second Age, it had been the capitol of a petty Eriadorian kingdom.

TA – Third Age of Arda

Tir (pl Tiri, f. Tiril) is the highest rank of Rhudaurorn peerage. He is a major landholder who has received a perpetual right of jurisdiction over his lands in lieu of services rendered to the Copper Crown. Tiri were hereditary feudal vassals from the beginning, though some followed Arnorian precedence (eldest male) – Maglilas and Melossë, while others followed Númenórean laws of succession (eldest child whether male or female) – Endril, Eldanar and Ilterendi. To sustain the economic responsibilities of a tir, they usually supported by a minimum of “eleventy-one” or 111 manors.

Thundercleft – dwarven mansion in the Grey Mountains.

The Ranga, or Full Pace, was a Númenórean linear measure. The Ranga was said to be a full stride from the rear heel to the front toe, by a full-grown Númenórean man in quick march. It was slightly longer than a yard, measuring 38 inches (3'2", or 96.5 centimeters). 5000 Rangar made up a Lár.

Rhudaurorn – a citizen of Rhudaur, but more specifically, one with Dúnedain and Hillmen blood.

Rynd Morva Tarth – the planned capital of Rhudaur that never got past a few fortifications and a small village. Situated on the southern side of Morva Tarth.

Skuthrugrai – NOrc. ‘Dark-murderers’, an orc tribe, known for their fondness for man flesh.

Tywysog – title of the King of the Hillmen

Uruk-tarkhnarb – NOrc. ‘Orcs of Many Wounds’, also known as the goblins of Goblintown.


	3. Orodreth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orodreth, 2nd King of Rhudaur

Pauratan Orodreth Aldarion Isildur Rhudainor (S. mountain progeny), Caleduben (Bl. Hard lord), “the Builder”  
Crown Prince of Rhudaur, King of Rhudaur, King of Nothva Rhaglaw, Tywysog y Mebion Bran, Aran Nen Dolcrist

Reign 951-994  
Predecessor Aldarion  
Successor Eldathorn  
Wife Curuestel Melossë  
Issue:Orothorn  
Eldathorn  
Thuraranion  
Father Aldarion  
Mother Idril Nienóri  
Born 867 III in Cameth Brin  
Married 900 III in Cameth Brin  
Died 994 III at Cameth Brin

Orodreth Rhudainor  
Background  
As the second king of Rhudaur, Orodreth played an important role in the development and course of Rhudaur. He saw to the completion of the building programs set forth by his father.

Early years  
Born a year after Rhudaur was started, Orodreth was raised at the capital city of Cameth Brin. As child, Orodreth watched Cameth Brin expand, and when he grew older, he began spending time amongst the masons and carpenters as they worked on the capital. Orodreth would fetch tools for the workers, and help out smoothing timbers or mixing grout for stonework. The young prince would often be found in the presence of a master mason named Curugond, and the patient old man would show his young student the finer art of masonry and design. But as Orodreth became older, he had to attend his tutoring lessons, and spend less time around the construction. But the young prince developed an interest in architecture, and as he grew older, was trained in engineering and construction. He would later design the improvements of some of the kingdom’s fortifications. The first castle was Dol Cultirith, and then later Penmorva castle upgrade, and the design of Osthim (Buhr Calden). When he became old enough, one of his father’s old companions, Borin of Thundercleft, taught him his lore and writing. Orodreth would try to finish his studies as quickly as possible so that the old dwarf would tell the tales of the adventures of Orodreth’s father.  
When he became older, Orodreth became betrothed in 885 to Curuestel Melossë, the daughter of Tiril Tioviel Melossë. Curuestel was eight years older than Orodreth, and after a few years at the capital she became involved with an older noble, Finarar Maglilas, heir of Tir Herudil Maglilas. By 896 her affair went too far, and she let him take her maidenhead. When her passion subsided, Curuestel realized the rashness of her actions, and sought to break off their affair. But Finarar continued pursuing her, blackmailing her into having more sex with him. This continued for six months until Prince Orodreth caught the couple together in the act of copulating. Curuestel immediately begged for forgiveness, but Finarar merely sneered at him, calling him a little princeling. But Orodreth pulled out his eket and slashed Finarar across the face with it, saying “Let everyone see what happens when they think that they can dishonor my woman.” After that, Finarar never appeared in court again until he had to give fealty to Orodreth when he became tir.  
Eventually, the couple was married in 900 with one of the most dazzling weddings in Rhudaur’s history. The bride wore a dress of elven make with elvish crystals sewn all over it. Curuestel give birth the next year, when their son Orothorn was born. But the effects of the herbs Finarar gave her to become attracted to him were difficult to overcome, so it took her another six years for her to become pregnant and gave birth to a second son named Eldathorn. But then Orodreth was given the opportunity to build is new fortress of Osthim to provide protection from the increase in orc raids in the northern part of the Coldfells. Orodreth’s old friend Curugond was the master mason in charge of the fortress, until a local Hillman uprising slew him. The following year, a loyal knight was just barely prevented from assassinating Orothorn. The knight professed not knowing why he did what he did, but he was exonerated by the Court Mage who said that the knight was under the effects of a spell. Knowing that he would have to go after the wegech, Orodreth had an axe especially made for him to combat these witches. Prince Orodreth plunged into the Trollshaws and hunted through the hills and bogs until he had slain five of the leaders personally. But amongst the captives Orodreth had rescued was an exquisite Haëradan maid that enchanted Orodreth so that he forgot his wife and laid with her for the night. When the king awoke, she was gone, and Orodreth wondered if she was a dream, for none of his men saw her enter or leave his tent.  
By 940 Orodreth had begun to participate in ruling the kingdom in his father’s stead. King Aldarion was busy trying to reunite Arnor, and had finally received the pledges of his nephews that would acknowledge Aldarion as the next High King. But events led up to the Battle of Nen-i-Sûl, where a handful of Dúnedain slew each other. Aldarion was too old to force the issue, and he feared that there would be more bloodshed between the Sister Kingdoms if he pursued the issue further.

Early Years  
King Aldarion did not live long past that first conflict. In 951 the last son of Eärendur died, and Orodreth was crowned king. With the last of Eärendur’s sons dead, the issue of the reunification of began to die down despite Orodreth’s attempt to continue his father’s quest to regain the throne of Arnor. But with the death of Eärendur’s last son, Rhudaur’s claim for the High Kingship vanished, and a more direct approach was used to reunite the kingdoms.  
But Orodreth had other problems closer at hand. With Aldarion dead, the Hillmen began an uprising in 951, and tried the new king’s mettle. With the help of his half-brother Arthonion Brannoss, the Hillmen were defeated and sent back to the Trollshaws, their tribute doubled for five years and any Hillman not fulfilling his tribute was sent to the Magtu mines for two years. This began the systematic use of forced labor at the large mine complex that would last for over seven hundred years.  
The battles with Arthedain and Cardolan did become more fierce and bloodier at this time. Not much progress was achieved, but his preparations were seen later in his heirs’ time.

Middle years  
After the conflict with Arthedain and Cardolan, Orodreth continued his father’s quest to regain the throne of Arnor. He began to address the shortfalls that became apparent during the clash. Rhudaur’s defenses were orientated towards the east and north, while its southern and western borders were wide open. Roads were improved to facilitate rapid troop movement, most notably the road from Cameth Brin to the northern Penmorva and south to Tirthôn. Fortresses were built or improved, especially on the border with Arthedain and Cardolan. From the east mercenaries were brought in from Rhovanion for the first time. King Orodreth personally oversaw the completion of the fortress Osthim north of Cameth Brin, nicknamed Burh Caldr by the Northron mercenaries that inhabited it.  
But there was division was within Orodreth’s own house. His heir Orothorn was a somewhat spoiled young man, and tried to bully those he deemed lesser than he, including his younger brother Eldathorn. The younger prince stoically took the verbal abuse, but when he found Orothorn berating a servant maid for breaking a mug that the prince himself had broken, Eldathorn stepped in. Orothorn tried to push his younger brother out of the way, but instead the king’s heir found himself on the floor with a bloody nose, for Orodreth’s younger son was a battle hardened warrior even in his youth. Orodreth called both of his sons into his private apartments and began to lecture Eldathorn on assaulting the king’s heir. Words sprung up between the hot headed prince and his father, and the conversation ended with the prince leaving Cameth Brin. He missed Orothorn’s lecture about needing to be the defender of the weak and more considerate to his subjects. Prince Eldathorn disappeared from Rhudaur, and was not heard from again until 986.  
The Hillmen remained quiet during these years, though they were gathering their force. The king began missing his younger son, so to build up his relationship with his remaining son, Orodreth and Orothorn hunted trolls from the Ettenmoors to the Trollshaws. They were successful in thinning down their number, and they recovered quite a bit of lost treasure. Elsewhere the kingdom was at peace and the Hillmen remained quiet during these years, though they were gathering their forces.

Later years  
Tragedy struck in 985 when Orodreth’s heir Orothorn was assassinated by a Hillman Ful Hiam. The prince had been visiting the Hillman’s half-sister, and the proud Ful Hiam slew Orothorn in his sister’s bed. Cooler heads prevented the king from going to war, and instead an extra tribute was laid upon the Hillmen that year. Every head of a household was to send King Orothorn their first born son or a bull or a cow, else their entire household would be sent to Magtu for five years. There was much grief and suffering in the Trollshaws after that, but the economic impact of the consequences kept the Hillmen from attempting further resistance.  
Once Orothorn was laid to rest in Bar Fernerain, King Orodreth began looking for his surviving son. He sent messengers to search for Eldathorn, but it was Heleghir Endril that found Eldathorn amongst the Lossoth of the north. He had traveled over two hundred fifty leagues to find the prince, and took over three months just to reach him. Heleghir reached the village where Eldathorn was at, just as the winter storms rolled in. For another five months they rode out the winter until they could march south once the weather cleared. It took another three months to return to Rhudaur. After the return of his son, the king and his son had a brief reconciliation. King Orodreth noticed that his son was more responsible, and had been in command during his time in the north. Eldathorn realized what responsibilities a leader has and what unpleasant choices that they have to sometimes make.  
The peace between the king and his heir did not last long. When the king was introduced to Edlothiel, Prince Eldathorn’s mistress that he had taken during his travels, and mother of two of his sons, Orodreth remembered his own father’s infidelity and many mistresses. When the king learned that Edlothiel had a dark skinned son, he called her a whore to Eldathorn’s face, and would not let Eldathorn marry her. Orodreth began looking for a wife for Eldathorn, and found the widowed Nimlorel Eldanar as a suitable wife. Originally Orodreth had intended for Nimlorel to marry Orothorn, but the prince’s death cut short the arrangement. Young, beautiful, and rich, Nimlorel was a bride that would become an ideal queen. Eldathorn acquiesced to his father’s wishes and married her later in the year of 986. But the prince still loved his mistress.  
The issue was not resolved in 994, when Orodreth died.

Appearance  
When Orodreth was a handsome Dúnadan of noble bearing, as was common for a son of Elendil. 

Family  
Orodreth married Curuestel Melossë and had two sons (Orothorn and Eldathorn). After a brief one night dalliance with a Haëradan, he had an unknown son.

Timeline  
867 Born, the son of King Aldarion  
900 Marries Curuestel Melossë.  
916 First son Orothorn is born.  
926 Second son Eldathorn is born.  
951 King Aldarion dies and Orodreth becomes king. Puts down Hillman rebellion.

985 Eldest son Orothorn is assassinated, and Orodreth imposes a weregild on all of the Hillmen.  
994 Orodreth dies of old age.

Dol Cultirith – Hill of the Bronze Guard; a watchtower on the road connecting Cameth Brin with the Great East Road.

Ful Hiam (Bl. Fiery heart) are Hillmen berserks that are religious fanatics.

Haëranedain (S. Far wandering Men, sing Haëradan), the Dúnedain and lesser Dúnedain of Rhudaur

Magtu (Bl. Copper Mountain) – a mining town located east of Cameth Brin in the middle of the Trollshaws, it is the source of the largest copper deposits in the kingdom. Eventually, it would become a prison camp, where those who ran afoul of Rhudaur’s justice were sent here to pay for their misdeeds.

Penmorva- main fortress of Morva Tarth

Osthim (Buhr Calden) – fortress in north east Rhudaur.

Tirthôn (S. Pine Watch) – watchtower on the Great East Road

wegech is a female Hillwoman witch


	4. Eldathorn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eldathorn, 3rd King

Eldathorn Rhudainor

Beleg Eldathorn Orodrethion Turin Rhudainor  
(S. elf eagle), Alförn (Eh. elf-eagle) Viisasoturi (La. Wise warrior), Cadwaladr (Bl. Battle leader), “the Valiant”

Crown Prince of Rhudaur, King of Rhudaur, King of Nothva Rhaglaw, Tywysog y Mebion Bran, Aran Nen Dolcrist  
Reign 994-1031  
Predecessor Orodreth  
Successor Eldarion  
Wife Nimlorel Eldanar  
Consort Edlothiel Árunya  
Issue Eldarion  
Orodion  
Loshir  
Losríanig  
Losglin  
Gilronwen  
Gilestelwen  
Father Orodreth  
Mother Curuestel Melossë  
Born 928 III in Cameth Brin  
Married 992 III in Cameth Brin  
Died 1031 III at Mt. Gram  
Burial Bar Fernerain

Background  
As the second son of King Orodreth, Eldathorn spent the early part of his life free from the duties expected of a king’s son. Eldathorn spent many years of his youth adventuring as far east as Rhûn and as far north as the Everdalf, accompanied by his mistress Edlothiel Árunya. Though he was often far away from home, he was ever faithful to his father’s kingdom, and often acted to promote its interests. During his years as a prince, Eldathorn found a magical ring in a troll’s hole, and as he studied the enchanted item, he discovered that it was one of the minor Rings of Power Celebrimbor forged with Sauron’s aid in Eregion in the middle of the Second Age.  
________________________________________  
Early years  
Eldathorn was born in 928 in Cameth Brin, the second son and child of King Orodreth. As a youth Eldathorn excelled at the use of the sword, and was a mere stripling when his father’s troops clashed with Cardolani Raggars along the border. Although the battles slowly got bloodier, there was still restraint amongst the combatants and the flat of the sword was used more times than the edge. Eldathorn returned to Cameth Brin a hero, while his older brother was shamed by having to have to be rescued after being captured by the men of Minas Girithlin.  
Growing up, Eldathorn was forced to follow his not quite as talented older brother Orothorn, the heir to Rhudaur’s throne. As the second son, Eldathorn had many arguments with his father as to his position of being subservient to his brother. One night, after Orothorn accidently caused the death of a servant by being careless, a fight broke out between the two brothers. Orothorn was soundly thrashed by his younger brother. But the two brothers were hauled before the king. King Orodreth gave Eldathorn a tongue lashing for wounding the king’s heir, and would not listen to Eldathorn’s reasons. Furious, Eldathorn stormed out of the king’s chamber after given leave to go, and was not present when Orothorn received an even more sever lecture. Angry because he thought his actions were just, Eldathorn rebelled against his father by leaving the king’s court and become an adventurer. Disguised as a mercenary named Alförn, he traveled throughout the kingdom, fighting orcs, trolls, and Hillmen. Though he rebelled against his father’s commands, he still kept faith with the kingdom.  
In 965, a troll was rampaging through the Hillmen villages near the Misty Mountains. Alförn, as a troll hunter, was welcomed by the Hillmen as he tracked the beast to its cave. There, after being beaten and battered, he was able to slay the creature. Amongst the cheap copper Hillmen brooches he found a silver ring with a smoky diamond on it. It turned out to be a minor Ring of Power, Hithya, and Eldathorn wore the ring for the rest of his life.  
Nothva Rhaglaw was not the most cosmopolitan town in Eriador, so when the tracker known as Alförn saw the woman of obviously pure Dúnedain blood clumsily pretending to be a serving wench in the tavern that Diarffordd was meeting with the arms buyer, the tracker became even more suspicious. Being pureblooded Dúnadan tended to put one at a disadvantage when trying to blend in with the other Eriadorians, but Alförn learned ways to get around such inconveniences.

In 970, Alförn was tracking a suspected spy in Nothva Rhaglaw when he came across a woman who was obviously trying to overhear the conversation that the spy was having with his contact. It was obvious that she was not very skilled in pretending to be a serving wench. He watched the contact, a Hillman named Diarffordd, ply her with knock out drops, then laugh as he took the unconscious woman her upstairs to rape her. Alförn quietly followed, and knifed the man as he was about to rape the bound woman. When he removed the gag, the woman, speaking very formal language, told him that an Arthedain traitor was selling the Hillmen superior Arthedain spears and naurnen, a fiery substance that could burn even stone. Alagcor was to be up in a few minutes, and if he did not see someone raping her, he would become suspicious, so the woman suggested that he rape her to keep his cover story believable, so Eldathorn copulated with her so that Alagcor would believe Alförn was the buyer. After Alagcor watched Eldathorn finish with the woman, they discussed the price and location of the two wagonloads of weapons. After paying for the weapons, Alförn brought the woman with them, though he secretly passed her a dagger. In a secluded spot just out of town, Alagcor showed them where the weapons were guarded by five of his henchmen. But Alagcor became suspicious when Alförn would not allow his men to rape the woman, and a fight broke out. Eldathorn was able to dispatch four of Alagcor’s men, but Alagcor was about to stab Eldathorn in the leg when the woman struck Alagcor with the dagger. The last man fled, and Alförn found himself with two wagonloads of fine Arthedain steel spears and an Arthadan woman that disappeared as soon as they entered Nothva Rhaglaw. He followed her to the local intelligence operative, a man who ran a stable named Vellonthur. The woman, whose name he discovered was Edlothiel Árunya, tried to explain about Alagcor’s betrayal, but the spy was furious that Edlothiel had allowed herself to be followed and revealed his identity to a Rhudaurorn. Surprised, Edlothiel found herself an outcast from her kingdom and her only recourse was to become the lover to Alförn. Unable to return the weapons, Eldathorn and Edlothiel drove them to Cameth Brin, where Alförn turned the wagons over to the Royal Rhudaur army, and was invited into Cameth Brin.  
However, Eldathorn did not have time to settle in, and in the courtyard of Cameth Brin, his older brother, having heard of his exploits, confronted him and accused him publicly of cowardice, and ambushing innocents. But Eldathorn ignored his brother until he insulted Edlothiel, which enraged Eldathorn and he struck his father in the chin, knocking him down. After that, Eldathorn quickly left with Edlothiel to an inn called the Drunken Caru. There Eldathorn’s mistress Mæva met them and got Edlothiel settled down. But after a dinner at the inn, Eldathorn and Edlothiel received a summoning from the king. When Edlothiel asked Eldathorn why the king was summoning him, he replied that it was because he had punched the king’s heir.  
In the king’s personal apartment, the king berated his youngest son on disrespect  
Wanderings in the North  
The welcome back to the court at Cameth Brin did not last long. Eldathorn’s older brother Crown Prince Orothorn was jealous of the popularity that his younger brother had, and the presence of a former Arthedain spy at court and now Eldathorn’s lover caused friction between Eldathorn and his father. A month after arriving at Cameth Brin, King Orodreth and Eldathorn got into an argument that caused words to be said that neither father nor son could take back. Eldathorn packed his few belongings and left Rhudaur with Edlothiel for good. They traveled north, and wandered around the lands of Angmar. But in a near death experience with a wraith that nearly cost him his life, but Edlothiel was able to drive the spirit back into the void.  
Wandering in the north, they met the Lossoth amidst the snow covered land of Forochel. For the next few years he and Edlothiel wandered across the northern wastes, battling evil wherever it could be found. He achieved notoriety by fighting for the dwarves of Zarak-dûm against orcs that were threatening the dwarven hall there. From the halls of the dwarves Eldathorn and Edlothiel wandered amongst the Lossoth, gaining their friendship and battling the orcs and winter wolves that wandered the snowy tundra. His new friends gave him the Lossoth name Viisasoturi (La. wise warrior), and word of his prowess spread among all the Lossoth. At first, Edlothiel, known to the Ystävät Talven as Tähtinainen (La. star woman), was hesitant to participate in vaimolahja, but eventually she participated in the “wife hospitality” tradition amongst the Ystävät Talven. The tall, dark haired beauty was popular with the Lumimiehet men. Though she never became pregnant from the vaimolahja, there were quite a few Lossoth women in the village with dark haired children.  
The joke around the Lummies around the small settlement of Pitkättalo was that Viisasoturi was gone hunting so much was that he had four women in his talo that had given birth within a six week span. Though Viisasoturi was not married to any of the women, the normally conservative Lossoth allowed the tall southerner his due, for he had fed the village singlehandedly that hard winter. Three of the women were Lummies, young women that had recently lost their husbands and had no one to hunt for them. The fourth was a women he had brought with him, a dark haired beauty from the south. Though she was an exotic woman to the light haired Ystävät Talven, her knowledge of herbs and medicine probably saved as many Lummies as her man did. The Lummies soon learned to listen to her words of wisdom, and felt she was a fine match for Viisasoturi.  
The winter had been long and hard, but now that it was over, the long hours in their shelters had led to a larger number of pregnancies, and soon not only Viisasoturi had more mouths to feed. And the bounty from the tundra was feeding everyone easily. By mid-summer, the winter meat storage racks were full enough that the Lummies spent their time expanding their shelters or traveling to trade with other settlements. Then Viisasoturi had disappeared for a month with one of the young hard boys, and returned with a large number of long wooden poles just bigger than a man’s wrist that were the right size for building a larger shelter.  
For years the two ex-patriot Dúnedain lived in the north, with Eldathorn earning a reputation of being extra deadly against the trolls that plagued the Lummies during the long cold winters. He slew nearly twenty snow trolls and two cave trolls during the first long northern winter. His reputation was such that the Lummies began to look to him for protection. To aid him in getting to the other clans quickly to protect them from the trolls, the pair was given special skis that helped them travel swiftly in the northern snow. The two would drift from clan to clan, with Viisasoturi using his skill at arms to drive off the enemies of the Ystävät while Tähtinainen taught the women her knowledge of surgery, and they taught her their herb lore.

Encounter with the Spirits of the North  
But their twelve years of Northern living with cold was topped by the next winter. The winter of 973 was the coldest winter in memory. The fall hunt had been terrible, and an early winter gripped the land in hoar frosts and terrible blizzards that appeared without warning. On days that were good enough to hunt, the white wolves known to the Lossoth as Kuoleman koirat (La. death dogs) would hunt the Ystävät Talven. Even Viisasoturi was at a loss on how to solve the issue until on winter solstice, Viisasoturi was visited by the spirit of Hissi. For the rest of the winter, Viisasoturi hunted the kuoleman koirat, until he had over fifty pelts of the winter wolves strewn around his talo. He was also able to provide for three recent widows that moved into his pyöreä talo, and Viisasoturi’s hunting saved the village from extinction.  
The following year became a prosperous year for the Lossoth. The spring hunting was the best in memory, and most of the women of child bearing age became pregnant, including Tähtinainen. But despite respite from hunger, others sought Viisasoturi out. In the summer, emissaries from the Merimetsästäjät (the sea hunting Lummies) arrived and beseeched the aid of Viisasoturi. The undead had begun to walk amongst the ice dwellings that the Merimetsästäjät used to live in, causing death to the living. They had heard of the deeds of Viisasoturi, so they traveled inland to seek his aid in ridding their home of their undead relatives. Though she just learned of her pregnancy, Tähtinainen insisted on accompanying Viisasoturi. They traveled over a hundred leagues in a week, and arrived at the home of the Spotted Seal Tribe on the coast of the Bay of Forochel. The two Southlanders investigated and discovered that someone had broken into a nearby ancient Beadmaker tomb and released some spirits. They were able to banish the sprits and peace returned to the Merimetsästäjät.  
After returning to the Lummies, Viisasoturi decided to build his own lodge. With help from his adoptive family, Viisasoturi built the largest pyöreä talo (La. Round house) on the Lhüchir River where the tundra of the Talath Uichel met the taiga of the Everdalf. The lodge he named Pitkättalo (La. Long round house), a structure three times as large as any other Lummies structure, and moved in with his four women and several elderly couples that were too old to provide for themselves. Early in the winter of 975, Tähtinainen gave birth to a daughter she named Losríanig in her own tongue. But their joyous celebration came to an end when word came of some terrible shadow that was haunting Jäämiehet villages and leaving no survivors. So Eldathorn traveled with a Ystävät spirit namer called Valkoinen to the Kuolleet Vuoret (La. Bleak Mountains). For over a month Viisasoturi, Tähtinainen and Valkoinen traveled north until their path led them to the very underground pits of Angband. After entering into the caverns, they discovered a minion of Morgoth had been stalking the Jäämiehet. Valkoinen was slain, but Eldathorn defeated the demon Gurthfea, and freed several Jäämiehet and a Lossidil (Snow-elf) from the prison. The Lossidil returned with Eldathorn to his village, and then departed back to his home.  
The milder temperature the next year caused Eldathorn and his people to move closer to the Bay of Forochel. They received word of a band of strangers from the south. Viisasoturi had become even more famous amongst the Ystävät Talven, and became the informal leader amongst the tribes. When three ships began raiding along the coast, they stopped after Viisasoturi fought a raiding party. A parley was established, and after a small tribute of ivory was given, a feast was held. Vaimolahja, or wife swapping, was offered to the leader of the raiders, a Variag who knew quite a bit bout Viisasoturi. As her wont, Edlothiel allowed herself to be taken to the Variag’s bed, to safeguard the Ystävät Talven. That night, the Variag, whose name was Choragi, copulated with her six times, each time Edlothiel enjoying the act even more. The next morning, when she went back to Eldathorn, she was still so aroused that she had a quick tumble with him, before he was called off to help settle a dispute. Unknown to them, Choragi was actually a sorcerer, and had gradually cast a Spell of Command over her during the vaimolahja, for she had become pregnant with his child. That night she secretly left the village with him, and began guiding him north to the site of where they had entered into Angband. Arriving by sea, they traveled inland to the entrance, and just as she was about to show Choragi the entrance, Eldathorn arrived with a band of his hunters. Demanding his woman back, Choragi said that Edlothiel was there of her own will, and Edlothiel agreed. But unknown to Choragi and even Edlothiel, she was also pregnant with Eldathorn’s child, and when he commanded her to come to him, she began to obey. Furious at his beautiful slave being taken, Choragi ordered his men to attack. A fight broke out, and the Southrons were forced to flee and Edlothiel was rescued.  
After the threat that the Southrons posed had left, Eldathorn and Edlothiel returned to Ruskea Vene. They stayed in the area after Edlothiel started having signs of being pregnant, and she gave birth to healthy twin boys nine months later. Her first born son was fair skinned, and had green eyes of the Rhudainor line, while her second son was dusky skinned and had the red eyes of his Variag father. The Lossoth muttered amongst themselves about the evil spirit that had quickened within Tähtinainen and was born within her son.

Recall Home  
 _Viisasoturi was on top of his lodge repairing the roof when the barking of the sled dogs announced the arrival of a stranger. Seeing only a single person, the dark haired Dúnadan continued patching the wood shingles and insulation from moss and lichen until he heard from below a voice he took a moment to realize was speaking Westron._  
 _“In all of my days, I have never seen a stranger sight than a prince fixing a roof.”_  
 _Looking down at the visitor, Viisasoturi realized that the man was Dúnadan, and after a moment, realized he recognized Tir Heleghir Endril. “Heleghir!” he exclaimed, “what are you doing in this desolate part of the world?”_  
 _“I should ask that question of you.”_  
 _Viisasoturi turned back to his work, grabbed a shingle and tapped it into place with his wooden mallet. “Life is simpler here than at court,” he replied._

Three months after Edlothiel had given birth, another visitor appeared from the south. Heleghir Endril, grandson of Tir Gwesthir Endril, brought summons from King Orodreth and news of the death of Eldathorn’s older brother Orothorn. As Orodreth’s heir, Eldathorn reluctantly left the north, but brought his lover and sons back to Rhudaur with him. But problems resurfaced between King Orodreth and his son, especially concerning Edlothiel and her half-breed swarthy son. Though she had been exposed to the Arthedain court, her time amongst the Ystävät Talven and her dusky skinned son made her a pariah at the Cameth Brin court. But Orodreth finally convinced Eldathorn that his queen could not be the mother of a child obviously not Eldathorn’s, and their marriage would put into question doubt about his sons’ legitimacy to rule as king. So Eldathorn agreed to marry Nimlorel Eldanar in 986. Edlothiel and her children Gilronwen, Loshir, and Dollforion were sent to Eldathorn’s manor up at Bar Erehûn (S. House of the Lonely Heart). Edlothiel was kept out of sight, but Eldathorn would still occasionally visit his love. When Edlothiel became pregnant in 990, Nimlorel demanded that Eldathorn give up Edlothiel. Because of his love of the kingdom, Edlothiel was put aside. A very pregnant Edlothiel traveled to Penmorva, where she gave birth to another daughter.

Ruler of Rhudaur  
With the death of his father in 994, Eldathorn had to dedicate all of his efforts to ruling the kingdom. His first serious dilemma occurred after the Great Cattle Raid of Magtu in 996. Brangus ap Gru and his men stole the cattle that was being held at the large mining camp, and drove nearly five hundred of the beasts into the wilds of the Trollshaws. King Eldathorn was on his way to visit Barad Calen with his bodyguard, and when he received word about the thief, he set off in pursuit. When Eldathorn found Brangus near the Moors of Maglilas, he demanded the return of the livestock. Not knowing that it was the king addressing him, Brangus said that he would if the owner would meet him in man to man combat. King Eldathorn stepped forward with his spear, and accepted Brangus’ challenge. Surprised at the appearance of the king, Brangus sought to slay the hated Westman king, but failed and was slain by Eldathorn. Any illusion the Hillmen had of a weak king quickly disappeared, and the tribute continued to come from the Hillmen.  
Later that year, Queen Nimlorel gave birth to Eldathorn’s first son and heir. He was named Eldarion (S. Son of the elf) in homage to Eldathorn’s name. A second son was born Orodion (S. mountain prince) Armeril in 1001. But Queen Nimlorel began involving herself in Rhudaurorn politics. At first Eldathorn allowed her to make decisions that were minor, but when she began to countermand his orders, he tried to talk to her in private to stop her, but Nimlorel had grown too proud. Deeming that if she could force Eldathorn to give up his mistress, she could command him to do anything. Desiring to strike back at her rival, Nimlorel evicted Edlothiel from Bar Erehûn. Furious at his wife’s behavior, King Eldathorn publically stripped his wife of any political power and kept her by his side as a figurehead queen. When he visited Edlothiel for the first time in over a decade, Eldathorn realized that he still loved Edlothiel, and took her back as his lover. Edlothiel eventually became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter Gilestelwen in 1011. As the political waves from Queen Nimlorel’s public humiliation spread through the kingdom, Eldathorn was forced to make alliances with the other tiri so that only House Eldanar was the only one that would give him troubles. His youngest daughter Gilestelwen he married off to Celarambor Maglilas, heir of Tir Finarar Maglilas shortly before the tir’s death. Another important alliance he made by arraigning the marriage between his son Prince Eldarion and Tir Heleghir’s daughter Collheryn.  
As his kingdom began to run smoothly, Eldathorn began trying to unlock the mystery of the magical ring he found in the Trollshaws. Slowly, through sheer will, Eldathorn unlocked its power. His possession of the ring became known by Curunír, one of the newly arrived Istari, and they both studied the item, for the head of the Istari desired to learn all about the forging of Rings of Power, and this was the mightiest ring Curunír had seen to date. A friendship was struck up between the two, though perhaps Curunír got more out of the relationship than Eldathorn did. His future daughter-in-law Collheryn gave some rather useful insights, especially for one as young as she was, and to further their discussions out of earshot of others, they went into the king’s bath together. Though nothing untoward happened, Collheryn did learn quite a bit about Lossedain culture and language, something which would soon come in handy later.  
Later years as king

After their loss of face before the new king, the Hillmen quickly settled back down, though others were not so. An emissary from the Lossoth appeared at Cameth Brin in 1005. The snow men remembered the mighty hunter Viisasoturi that saved them years before and beseeched him to aid them again by getting rid of a dragon that had awakened in the lands of Angmar north of Rhudaur and was terrorizing the Lummies. Realizing that the beast might turn its attention to the wealthier and more populous Rhudaur, King Eldathorn sent Tir Heleghir Endril north to investigate. He and his children came across a dragon, and slew the beast. When they returned, the treasure they brought back inflamed the greed of many, and the dragon’s curse turned the king’s heart against his loyal Tir. Instead of Eldarion being betrothed to Heleghir’s daughter Collheryn, the king broke off the engagement two years after the dragon’s death. Instead, King Eldathorn began trying to counterbalance the sudden wealth of House Endril by favoring House Melossë.  
Siege of Mt. Gram

When Heleghir brought back word of battling a large force of orcs in the north, most of the nobles of Rhudaur, including Eldathorn, dismissed his report as exaggerations. But by 1015 the governor of Penmorva reported an increase in orc raids and sizable bands. For the first time in centuries the orcs of Mt. Gram began stirring and increasing in number. After the Great Raid of 1020, when the orcs of Mt. Gram suddenly began raiding deep into Rhudaur, the kingdom began mobilizing to eliminate the threat. For over a decade Eldathorn actively sought to end the orcish threat to his kingdom by conducting patrols and ambushes in the hills south of their mountain base. With his bastard sons Loshir and Losglin at his side, he set a cordon around the invading goblins. Though young, the brothers proved their military prowess and each was made a Thangon for their prowess. But the Hokur-hai – (Nor Or. Iron orcs) proved to be tough opponents, slaying the young Tir Conuihir Endril. His heir was Collheryn, and the king appointed her as Tiril Pinnach Aegring. Never expecting to succeed her brother, Collheryn had studied magic, not leading troops, so despite their intimate past, Eldathorn taught Collheryn how to lead her troops, while she used her magic in ways that the army had never seen before.  
Eventually, Rhudaur’s forces managed to push the creatures back into their mountain home. Once the goblins were shut up in their mountain home, Eldathorn laid siege to the gates of their caves. Prince Eldarion joined his father, and began to actively participate in the siege. The king personally directed the assault, and two years after the siege began, during a night raid by the goblins, Eldathorn was assassinated by a half-orc during the battle to take the gate. After passing a dead orc, the creature leaped up as the king passed and stabbed him with a poisoned dagger. The king died two days later despite the best efforts of his healers. His disheartened troops bore his body back to Cameth Brin for burial.  
Tiril Collheryn the Seer wondered if the ring King Eldathorn wore had anything to do with the monarch’s unsettled state of mind that allowed the circumstances of the assassination. Unfortunately, she did not get to study the magical item, as it was taken to the new king. King Eldathorn was laid to rest with his brother and forefathers at Bar Fernerain

Appearance and Personality  
Stood 6’ 5” tall, weighed 286 lbs., and had green eyes and black hair. In his early years, He often wears the sturdy clothing of a Rhudaurorn woodsman or a Lossoth hunter. After his marriage, he wore the beautiful clothing woven by his skilled wife. Eldathorn had a strong sense of justice, and the bonds of friendship forged before he became heir were stronger than those formed later.

Timeline  
929 Born, the second son of King Orodreth  
949 Fights at the Battle of Three Stones, and acquits himself well.  
951 After a fight with his brother, Eldathorn leaves his home.  
965 Eldathorn slays a troll that was harassing the Hillmen and recovers a silver ring with a smoky diamond on it. It turned out to be a minor Ring of Power, Hithya.  
970 Rescues Edlothiel, but is sent into exile after a fight with his father. He heads north Angmar.  
971 After encountering a wraith, heads north to the Lossoth.  
973 After a cold winter, Eldathorn saves the Lummies by bringing them food.  
974 Birth of a daughter Losríanig.  
977 Travels north to the Bleak Mountains and faces horrors left from the First Age remains of Angband.  
984 Edlothiel taken by invaders north to Angband, where Eldathorn slays them and frees Edlothiel.  
985 Edlothiel gives birth to twin sons, one of which was Eldathorn’s.  
992 Receives summons to return home. Marries Nimlorel Eldanar.  
994 Father dies, and is crowned King of Rhudaur.  
996 Great Cattle Raid of Magtu. Birth of son Eldarion by Nimlorel.  
1001 Birth of son Orodion Armeril  
1011 Edlothiel gives birth to another illegitimate daughter.  
1020 First of the great goblin raids into Rhudaur.  
1031 Eldathorn is slain

Languages

La (Labba), the language of the Forodwaith

Bar Erehûn (S. House of the Lonely Heart) – a manor situated near Cameth Brin

Bay of Grinding Ice,

Fennas Drúnin (S. Gateway of the Water Wose) - The chief town of the Angle sits on the point where the Bruinen River flows into the Mitheithel. 

Hokur-hai – (Nor Or. Iron orcs)

Hub

Jäänainen – the ice queen of the north

henkinimittäjät (La. spirit namer). A Lossoth shaman.

Jäämiehet – tundra dwelling Lossoth that sustain themselves on reindeer.

Kuolleet Vuoret (La. Bleak Mountains)

kuoleman koirat – white winter wolves

Lhüchir River where the tundra of the Talath Uichel met the taiga of the Everdalf. 

Lossidil (Snow-elf) – a race of elves that live on the far north icy lands.

Merimetsästäjät - the sea hunting Lossoth that subsist on fishing or harpooning on the ice covered seas. 

Minas Girithlin – one of the major domains in Cardolan.

Morgoth’s Well – a semi-active volcano in the far north, reputed to be linked to the Vala Morgoth.

Thangon (pl thengyn, f. thangonel) is a lesser lord who has been granted jurisdiction over a border area, with obligation to raise and maintain certain number of troops there. The position is hereditary, as long as the thangon is in good standing with the crown (i.e. taxes are paid, troops raised, etc). The position is occasionally granted by the king, usually to one of his sons or close kin, or to families loyal to one of the tiri. A thangon is usually required to have four knights and twelve men at arms under him. A thangon requires at least twenty-one manors to maintain his position

Raggars – the name of the elite Cardolani pikemen.

Ystävät Talven – also known as the Forodwaith, Lossoth or Lummies; the dwellers of the Far North. There are three main branches of them.

Zarak-dûm – A dwarven settlement between Rhudaur and Angband.

  



	5. Eldarion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eldarion 'the Great'

Eldarion Eldathornion Barahir Rhudainor  
(S. elf-prince), Auremyr (Bl. Gold king), “the Great”

Crown Prince of Rhudaur (until 1031), King of Rhudaur, King of Nothva Rhaglaw, Tywysog y Mebion Bran, Aran Nen Dolcrist  
Reign 1031-1107  
Predecessor: Eldathorn  
Successor: Forodacil  
Wife Fimdoroniel Galdaran  
Consort Gailbrithnir Eldanar  
Issue Fororían Rhudainor  
Forodacil Rhudainor  
Forduiniel Rhudainor  
Forhithiel Rhudainor  
Forambar Rhudainor  
Illegitimate: Fëasûldin Minasfëa  
Armithiel Eldanar

Father Eldathorn  
Mother Nimlorel Eldanar  
Born 991 III in Cameth Brin  
Married III in Cameth Brin  
Died 1107 III at Mt. Gram  
Eldarion Rhudainor

Background  
Reining when Rhudaur was at its height under the Dúnedain, from Eldarion would come the various lines that would lay claim to Rhudaur’s Throne after his son’s fall.  
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Early years  
Born in 991, Eldarion grew up in the shadow of the deeds of his illustrious father. There was a constant tension between his two parents, and Eldarion felt that his father’s love was split between the children of his mistress and those of his wife. Growing up, all that the young prince craved was his father’s love. But attention in the crowd of siblings and half-sibling meant that Eldathorn had little time for his son, even if he were his heir.  
In 1004, Prince Eldarion was betrothed to Collheryn Endril, the beautiful daughter of Tir Heleghir Endril. Following the plan started by King Aldarion, each king would marry the daughter of one of the great houses in turn. Strong was the friendship between king and tir, for when King Eldathorn had been recalled when his older brother had died, it was Heleghir who sought Eldathorn out and brought word to him amongst the Lossedain. Six years older than the prince, Lady Collheryn was like no other girl Eldarion had ever met before. Unlike other maidens, Collheryn often accompanied her father in forays against the orcs and Hillmen. She even dressed as a man, and was deadly accurate with her longbow. Though she would not speak of it, Eldarion learned from a soldier of Heleghir’s household that she had slain a Hillman raider.  
For a year Collheryn stayed at court. The king took a lively interest in his future daughter-in-law, and she became interested in the king’s time with the Lossoth. He began teaching her the language and customs of the Lossedain. The quick witted and lovely lass caused all that she came into contact with to love her. Within a year, Eldarion began to take interest in Collheryn as a lover not a friend. He was sadder than usual when she left with her brother and father to head north to help King Eldathorn’s old compatriots. When she returned, she had changed from a girl to a woman. The three Endrils had slain a dragon and fought a battle against the orcs on the icy tundra of Angmar. But something caused the king to no longer trust Heleghir, and Eldarion began to see Collheryn less and less until the betrothal was called off two years later.  
As he grew older, Eldarion would often try to attract his father’s attention often with the opposite results. The worst was a year after he had begun weapons training, when the prince heard of an orc raid in the north. Grabbing his sword and a horse, he rushed north without telling anyone, and was able to join in the patrol that wiped out the orcs. When he returned to his father’s capital, instead of the expected praise, his father berated him for risking the life of the heir to Rhudaur’s throne.  
When he came of age, his father did allow him to participate in the campaign against the orcs of Mt. Gram. In the camps around the orcish stronghold, Eldarion saw his father in action against the enemy, and father and son became closer. But tragedy struck in 1031 when Eldarion’s troops clashed with orcs before the king’s banner. Eldarion thought an orc was dead, and passed by without checking any farther. When he passed, One of the orcs Eldarion had thought dead leaped up as the king passed by and plunged a poisoned dagger into the king. King Prince Eldathorn was able to slay his foe, but the poisoned wound was too great, and that night Eldathorn died.

Early Years as King  
When his father fell, Eldarion took the ring that his father wore his entire life. Secretly placing a fake ring with his father lifeless body, Eldarion was quickly taught by Curunír about the ring’s power. Harnessing the ring’s magic, Eldarion began the resurgence of his kingdom’s power. King Eldarion harnessed this surge in growth for one purpose: exterminating the orcs of Mt. Gram. After burying his father, Eldarion began planning for the elimination of the threat of orcs on his border. Feeling guilty because he thought that he was responsible for his father’s death, King Eldarion began an intensive siege of Mt. Gram. Eldarion spent much of his treasury on dwarven weapons for his troops, hired dwarven mercenaries, and tried to use his father’s ring to break the gates of the goblin fortress.  
But the campaign went badly for the Rhudaurorn forces. In 1032, during one of King Eldarion’s blotched attacks Tir Conuihir Endril was slain by a troll. The marcher lord had to be laid to rest at his family’s barrow mounds, and his sister and Eldarion’s former fiancé was affirmed as Tiril. When he saw Collheryn for the first time in nearly twenty years, he was surprised how even more beautiful she was. Eldarion tried to reestablish the betrothal with Collheryn, but for some reason Collheryn put off the king. So Eldarion had his spy master observe the tiril. It took nearly a month for him to copy one of her letters to Amon Sûl and twice that to decode the love letter to Prince Celebwendir. Furious, the king began courting Fimdoroniel Melossë, Collheryn’s ward and friend. Although she was the daughter of a Thangon, two years later they were wed.  
Middle years

After raising and arming an army for five years, King Eldarion marched north and fought the orcs at the Battle of Himring in 1058. During the battle, a cave troll penetrated the king’s guard, and knocked King Eldarion unconscious. Tiril Collheryn Endril took command of the army after that and rallied the Rhudaurorn army and caused a major slaughter of the orcs. But once again the king was not able to capitalize on the victory in time. The orcs retreated back into Mt. Gram and used secret tunnels to raid the Rhudaurorn army at night. Attempts to use dwarven allies to tunnel into Mt. gram were met by ambushes by cave trolls and worse, until the main effort went into breaching the collapsed main gate. In 1061, King Eldarion was called away from the siege to attend to some business back at the capital when Tiril Collheryn lured the goblins out of Mt. Gram by using herself and a small band of warriors as bait. The short excursion turned into a fifty mile march, until Rhudaur’s cavalry smashed the goblins at the Battle of Penmorva. Collheryn immediately launched a counter attack directly against the main gates of Mt. Gram, but she narrowly escaped a trap when most of the valley leading to the gates collapsed, burying the gates underneath a hundred feet of rubble.  
During the winter of 1065, as Queen Fimdoroniel was giving birth to her fifth sixth child, the queen died. The king became withdrawn, but continued to do his duty. After the orcs had been put down, King Eldarion began to strengthen his position by political alliances. In 1070, his eldest daughter became betrothed to Prince Tarandil in Cardolan. Helping Princess Fororían was the beautiful Gailbrithnir Eldanar, daughter of Losadan Eldanar and granddaughter of Tiril Eledhwen Eldanar. The king and the beautiful maiden struck up a friendship that became even more, and after their return from Metraith, the court was shocked when the king took the young Gailbrithnir as his mistress. His eldest daughter finally married the Cardolani King Tarandil in 1080. The following year Gailbrithnir gave birth to the king’s daughter named Fëasûldin. She was a headstrong child, but her birth took much out of her mother. The king maintained a more celibate relationship with Gailbrithnir for a few years, until other events captured the king’s attention.  
Despite the marriage alliance with Cardolan, King Tarandil’s desire to control the fortress at Amon Sûl came close to succeeding, but the Arthedain army blocked the siege in 1084. So started the War of the Weathered Hills. Eldarion chose to uphold his oaths of alliance with King Mallor of Arthedain and declares war on his son-in-law. King Eldarion led the bulk of Rhudaur’s army at Fennas Drúnin, held in check by King Ciryon’s forces across the river. In the west, Tiril Collheryn Endril commended the western forces, mostly Endril and Eldanar troops, in joint maneuvers with Arthedain. Most of the fighting occurred in the west, and Collheryn and her forces absorbing the brunt of the fighting. Any the hopes for a brief war were crushed when King Tarandil’s younger brother was slain during the Battle of Nen-i-Sûl, just south of Amon Sûl.  
For twelve years the war dragged on, until the fighting destroyed Cardolan’s economy. Tarandil finally agreed to a peace treaty, and all sides began healing from the scars of war. Eldarion began healing his own way, and had welcomed Gailbrithnir back into his chambers during his sojourn in Fennas Drúnin, and in 1094 they had another daughter named Armithiel.

Later years as king  
When his southern border was secured, his second daughter Forduiniel became engaged to Húrin Amdircyll, one of the richest men in the kingdom at the time (after the Endrils). Funded by her dowry, Eldarion was able to finally focus on the orcs of Mt. Gram again. After a large invasion in 1102 by the goblins of Mt. Gram, Eldarion headed north and defeated them at the Battle of the Ettendales. Sensing that the time was right to strike, Eldarion began preparing for a siege of the mountain. It took nearly a year to gather the needed supplies and build several forts around the mountain, but when he finished, he laid siege to the mountain. The siege went fine for two years, until a surprise attack, led by goblin allies from the east, surprised the Rhudaurrim. King Eldarion was so focused on keeping the goblins within Mt. Gram that he ignored the mountains around it. When the goblins attacked, Prince Forodestel rallied his few men and stemmed the tide of the goblins long enough for the army to deploy, though Forodestel paid for it with his life. The death of his favorite son hit Eldarion heavily, and the king withdrew from Gram and returned to Cameth Brin, where he died two years later, some say of a broken heart.  
Though he died, his son, now King Forodacil, allowed Forduiniel and Húrin to continue their engagement, and they eventually married in 1109.

Family  
Eldarion married Fimdoroniel Galdaran, though he had a mistress, and from this king came many of the lines that later had a claim on the rulership of Rhudaur. By Fimdoroniel they had a son Forodacil, a younger son Forodestel, daughters Fororían, and Forduiniel, and Forhithiel. Illegitimate daughters Fëasûldin and Armithiel Eldanar by Gailbrithnir Eldanar. His daughter Fororían married King of Cardolan (Calimendil’s Line). Forduiniel had two claimants (Dunrían and Dunestel) descended from her. From Fëasûldin came Fëafuin and his line. Forhithiel’s children by her first husband were Haradrim, and ruled their own country, and her daughter was captured by Fëafuin and used by him to reinforce his own dynastic claims by marrying Elenril. In 1040 Fimdoroniel gave birth to a daughter Fororían. A year later, Eldarion called off the siege, Forodacil in 1045, Forodestel in 1055, Forduiniel in 1062, and Forhithiel in 1065, and Forambar in 1065. Illegitimate daughters Fëasûldin in 1081 and Gailbrithnir in 1094.  
Appearance and Personality  
Standing 6’ 4“, Eldarion was not as tall as many of his forefathers. His dark hair tended to be a bit untamable, and he had to work at keeping it manageable. 

Timeline  
991 Born  
1004 Betroved to Collheryn Endril.  
1007 Betroval broken off.  
1009 Fight orcs for the first time.  
1020 First of the great goblin raids into Rhudaur  
1031 His father is slain by an orc and becomes king.  
1040 Daughter Fororían born.  
1045 Son Forodacil born.  
1055 Son Forodestel born.  
1058 Battle of Himring Hill.  
1061 Eldarion knocked unconscious during battle. Collheryn defeats the goblins but is blocked from final victory.  
1062 Daughter Forduiniel born.  
1067 Twins Forhithiel and Forambar born. Fimdoroniel dies during labor.  
1070 Arranges an alliance with Cardolan by betroving his daughter Fororían to the Cardolani prince.  
1084 War of the Weathered Hills begins.  
1107 assassinated by half-orc


	6. Forodacil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forodacil 'the Last'

Forodacil Rhudainor   
Forodacil Eldarionion Baragund Rhudainor   
(S. Conqueror of the North, Diwedudd (Bl. Last lord), “the Last”

Crown Prince of Rhudaur (until 1107), Turmahîr Arahador, King of Rhudaur, King of Nothva Rhaglaw, Tywysog y Mebion Bran, Aran Nen Dolcrist   
Reign 1107-1176  
Predecessor Eldarion Rhudainor  
Successor Rhugga

Consort Gilthoniel Ilterendi  
Thurdaewen Maglilas  
Mistress Caranfin Amdircyll  
Issue Arthonion Rhudainor   
Arthoniel Rhudainor   
Dolendûiel Rhudainor   
House Rhudainor  
Father Eldarion   
Mother Fimdoroniel Melossë   
Born 1045 III in Cameth Brin  
Married 1125 III, 1172 III  
Died 1176 III at Cameth Brin  
Burial Bar Fernerain  
Forodacil Rhudainor

Background  
The two lines of battle jointed combat, matching each other’s blows and shedding a great amount of blood.  
Forodacil was born in the golden age of Rhudaur. A brilliant scholar and a respected warrior and a wise ruler, Forodacil had the potential to make the kingdom into greater glory, but unfortunate events, coinciding with the stirring of Angmar to the north, put an end to the Dúnedain rule of Rhudaur.  
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Early years

Born in 1045, Forodacil was the eldest son and second child of King Eldarion and Fimdoroniel Galdaran. As prince, Forodacil served his father admirably as was expected of one of the descendants of Aldarion. The young prince learned the lore of his line admirably, trained in the use of the sword until he possessed the skill of a veteran, and his leadership skills inspired even the most reluctant soldier. After his training was finished, he served as Captain of the Arahador, the King’s Spears, during the War of the Weathered Hills against Cardolan. Forodacil served bravely and honorably, though he chaffed under the command of Tiril Collheryn. Prince Forodacil expected his father to be leading the Rhudaurorn army, not the tiril of one of the major houses that the crown was suspicious of. As with many of the young men that served under her, he even became infatuated with her. But Collheryn gently refused the young prince’s advances, and the proud prince felt rejected. The feeling ate at his heart, until his love turned into anger. But he was under no illusion that Collheryn was not the best commander for the Western Rhudaur Army. The young prince was witness to her brilliant campaigns in Northern Cardolan.

When the orcs of Mt. Gram became active again in 1102, Prince Forodacil, now the second in command under Marshal Nalirion Melossë, headed north to break the menace from the north once and for all. As vise-marshal, Forodacil was responsible for the logistics of maintaining the army in siege around the mountain.   
Even this relatively safe position was not without risk. In 1105, Prince Forodacil’s personal bravery was tested when the supply train he was leading was attacked by trolls as they passed through the Ettendales. The prince personally slew one of the terrible creatures, and the supply train proudly rolled into the besieger’s camp around Mt. Gram. But his moment of personal bravery was destroyed when Forodacil learned that his younger brother Forodestel was slain that very day by an orc spear as Prince Forodestel led a counter attack.

Early years as king  
Prince Forodacil was forced to stay in the Ettendales as commander of Rhudaur’s reserves during the fall and winter after his brother’s death. Unknown to him, King Eldarion slipped into a dark depression that he could not shake. Forodacil came to the throne after the death of his father in 1107 after Eldarion passed away, some said of a broken heart, for his youngest son Forodestel had been his favorite.   
One of the first acts of the new king was to take stock of the kingdom, and was surprised to learn how much the war on Mt. Gram was draining the kingdom’s treasury. Ending the longest and most expensive siege to date of Mt. Gram, Forodacil engaged in a policy of containment against the orc kingdom while he consolidated his border with Cardolan and Arthedain. He began encouraging trade with the Sister Kingdoms, and the increase in economic activity caused a boom in the Rhudaurorn economy. During 1117, a rich vein of silver discovered in the royal mines in the Ettendales. This windfall gave King Forodacil the financial power to develop his kingdom further, and many of the royal fortresses were expanded, and the army built up and dwarven arms and armor were ordered from Moria.   
King Forodacil focused much of his early life on building up his kingdom, and did not begin looking for a queen until an event near the middle of the twelfth century caused him to question the loyalty of one of his lords. When his first cousin King Calimendil of Cardolan married Cenàriel Endril, the youngest daughter of Tir Haudhir Endril, Forodacil became worried about the rising power of House Endril. Especially smarting to Forodacil was the way Tiril Collheryn Endril had humiliated Forodacil’s father during the Battle of Himring by taking command of the army when the king had become isolated from the rest of the army during the battle. Forsaking the tradition of taking a bride from House Endril (it was supposed to be their turn, especially after King Eldarion chose Fimdoroniel Galdaran as his bride instead of an Endril lass to keep the balance of power amongst the tiri equal), Forodacil chose as his bride Gilthoniel Ilterendi, the daughter of Tir Ormaldor Ilterendi, a household that Forodacil sought to use to displace House Endril’s power. Though Gilthoniel was still yet a young maid, they married in 1125. King Forodacil held back from consummating the marriage with his queen until she became of age. During this time, King Forodacil satisfied his needs with Caranfin Amdircyll, a lass barely into womanhood herself. For five years she was his mistress, until the birth of their daughter caused Gilthoniel to threaten to leave the king. Forodacil gave in to his wife, and though he took care of Caranfin and her daughter Dolendûiel, for twenty years Caranfin was banished from Forodacil’s court, though his sister Forduiniel saw to Dolendûiel’s upraising.

Middle years  
After reconciling with his queen, Forodacil consummated their marriage, until Gilthoniel became pregnant. It was a long and hard pregnancy for a first time pregnancy. But after ten months of pregnancy, she gave birth on the thirtieth day of Nénimë in 1145 to twins. The eldest and heir to Forodacil was a boy that they named Arthonion. He grew to be a fine warrior, slaying his first orc when he was a stripling of seventeen (similar to lesser men at thirteen). The other child was a girl that they named Arthoniel. She grew to be a beautiful young lady, wise in the arts of magic. Her powers were such that Curunír offered to take her under his tutelage when she was just fifteen. But like his forefathers, Forodacil had a wandering eye, and it fell on Caranfin Amdircyll, a young lady barely into her womanhood.  
The fall of the kingdom started on a positive note. The seven years of bountiful harvest left the kingdom’s storehouses full for seven years. Then, in 1169, the copper mines at Magtu stopped producing. Then the orcs came down out of the north, setting the north on fire. After a battle near Penmorva the orcs fled back north. The next year was even worse. During the early fall, an illness begin striking down people, mostly of Dúnedain blood. Unfortunately Forodacil’s wife Gilthoniel was one of the Dúnedain that died in 1170 of the mysterious fever. His son, Prince Arthonion, also came down with the sickness, and despite his Healing Hands, Forodacil was unable to heal him. Arthonion was on the brink of death when word came to Forodacil of a mysterious healer that could cure the Red Flux. The man, a man who had the carriage and build of the Dúnedain, but was as swarthy as the Hillmen, arrived at Cameth Brin and cured not only the king’s son, but everyone else who had the illness. The man, whose name was Mormaeldur, quickly became the king’s friend and close counselor.   
Unknown to all, Mormaeldur was actually of Black Númenórean blood, and a sorcerer to boot. He black mailed the queen’s healer, Celebrain Forenya, to give the king herbs that broke down the king’s resistance to Mormaeldur’s sorcerous spells. Unknown to the king at the time, the use of the herb known as gort or Rivertraveler became wildly used by the young Dúnedain in Rhudaur. Many of them participated in the merethmael, the sex parties that compromised many maid and many a married man.   
The next year proved to be no better. When Tir Elvemir Maglilas rose up in rebellion in the summer of 1172, it was Mormaeldur’s council that caused the king to send his untried son north to put down the rebellion. But when the prince was slain, Mormaeldur used Forodacil’s hatred of House Endril to blame Tir Maeghir Endril for the heir’s death. Tir Endril became effectively banished from court, and House Maglilas rose higher by providing a bride for the king to marry. Against all of his other councilors’ advice, King Forodacil agreed to marry Thurdaewen Maglilas, the grandniece of Tir Elvemir. The king became enchanted by his beautiful young bride, and many issues that the king should have been able to deal with were simply ignored.   
Without the income from the royal mines for three years, the kingdom was getting behind in paying the dwarves of Moria for the weapons it had ordered. Instead of asking House Endril for the money, the king began raising money by allowing Hillmen and Rhudaurorn men to marry Dúnedain women if they were rich enough.   
Each year a new disaster occurred: first an increase in orc raids, then bitterly cold winters, followed by flooding. 

The Uprising  
In the darkness of the King’s Apartments of Cameth Brin, Forodacil sat straight up, the feeling of doom coursing through his veins. For the first time in years the king’s brain felt like he could think clearly, not the foggy brain mist that had been afflicting him since the death of his first wife. Beside him lay his second wife, Thurdaewen, niece of Elvemir Maglilas, Forodacil’s most troublesome tir. She still lay asleep, though when the king sat up, it revealed her naked body underneath the fur coverlet. The bulge in her belly was their child, a son Forodacil hoped would replace his slain son, killed by her brother.  
“Wake, Thurdaewen! We must go!” he commanded as he got out of bed. Summoning his guard, Thurdaewen got up slower, and had only slipped on a black heredin by the time the king had his tunic and braies on. The king rushed her, so that she wore only a simple slip under her bliaut.   
“Where are we going?” she asked as she slipped a light cloak on to cover her unkempt hair.  
“Something is wrong!” he said, as he belted on his sword, the legendary Caunedh Rhudaur. Nodding to Paurorn Amrodan, the captain of his guard, and four other guardsmen moved out, two in the front, followed by Paurorn and the royal couple, followed by the queen’s night lady, Morfînsell Crannherth, and the two other guards.   
They walked down the dark hallways and passages, the way lit by the lamps held by Borwethil in the rear and Paurorn in the front. The inside of the Cloven Hill seemed strangely quiet, and as they descended down into the Merethrond, Forodacil suddenly stopped, and he grabbed Thurdaewen by the arm. “What is it, my . . . “she said before the king clamped his hand over her mouth. The king sensed something wrong, and Paurorn must have sensed it to, but before the king could pull his sword out of his sheath, two light spears, the type favored by the Hillmen, flew through the air, one glancing off the shield of a guardsman in front, and the other striking the throat of another roquen that stood behind Forodacil.   
“To Arms!” shouted Paurorn as he rushed the shadowy figures behind the door across the Great Hall of Feasting. “The king is in peril!” A second requain, an able knight named Ordaemil, followed him, while the other two defended the royal couple with their shields and mail covered bodies. But Paurorn was wrong. It was not a couple of Hillmen assassins, but at least ten of the leather clad wild men poured out from where Paurorn’s guardsmen should have been standing guard. The two guards’ headlong rush turned into a backwards retreat, while Hillmen led by a tall brute of a Hillman and a naked Hillwoman wearing only a belt of greenish copper nuggets and green body paint. Spear thrusts came in quick and fast, and Ordaemil fell before Paurorn made it back to the king. Only one Hillman body lay near the dead requain, and for the first time Paurorn felt concerned about the king’s life. That naked bitch with the spear seemed to be able to thrust her spear at him without it being blocked by his shield, and the Hillman leader could only be Rhugga, the Tark Arm of the Hillmen tribes.   
Paurorn tried to block blows that came from everywhere, and the Hillmen intent on slaying the king were just moments away from dipping their spears into his blood. Suddenly, confusion erupted amongst the ranks of the Hillmen. The battle cry “Endril!” was a clue as to who was behind the Hillmen, and soon Maeghir Endril cut his way through the Hillmen to Paurorn’s side. Three Hillmen lay on the stone floor, dead and dying from the blade of the former Champion of Rhudaur. He looked ragged in his green tunic with the Endril wolf embroidered in gold on the hems, but Paurorn recognized it as the same clothes that the tir had worn at Princess Arthoniel’s funeral several months before. Ever since her death, he had been guarding her tomb day and naught. There were several cuts where his blood soaked wounds clung to his tunic, but the rush of battle was upon him.  
The Hillmen paused, especially after half of their number now lay on the stone floor, but more of their numbers began arriving. “I followed them in from Bar Fernerain,” Maeghir said as he picked up a fallen roquean’s sword in his off hand. King Forodacil stoically nodded, while Queen Thurdaewen stood with a look of fear in her eyes. “It is good that you are at our side, Tir Maeghir, in our hour of need.”  
“Arthoniel does not need me anymore.” He replied with a sour taste in his mouth as he looked at the queen. Maeghir suspected that the queen or her house had a hand in the princess’ death, but he had no proof of it. More Hillmen entered the Merethrond, and soon twenty Hillmen surrounded the king and his small band.   
“I would have been proud to be your father-in-law” Forodacil said as he readied the bloodied blade of his sword. Throughout the halls, the sound of horns could be heard echoing, and it inspired the Dúnedain but it served as a signal for the Hillmen to attack. Their spears gave the Hillmen an advantage in range from the Dúnedain swords, but soon both sides began to tell a tale of blood. The final guardsman fell, leaving the king flanked by Paurorn and Maeghir. A tall Hillman, an elaborate torc around his neck, stepped forward, his spear dripping blood. “The Age of the Dúnedain is over. It is the Time of the Hillmen now!” he said as he closed with his foes.   
“It is Rhugga!” Maeghir said as he blocked the first thrust, then leaped forward, his sword stabbing into the Hillman High Chieftain’s leg. Though he leaped back, the young lord could only block two of the three spear thrusts from the other Hillmen. His side dripping with blood, Maeghir blocked and swung the blade that had been in his family for over a millennium. A calm descended over him, because he knew that his death was near. He took a spear thrust to his off arm, but then slew the spear welder, and then the Hillman next to him.   
Next to him, Paurorn threw up his arms as two spears entered his chest under his sword arm, and blood erupted from his mouth as he sunk to his knees and then collapsed to the blood slick stone floor. Now it was just Forodacil and Maeghir standing in front of the queen as the spears of the Hillmen sought their way past the blades of the Dúnedain. The Hillmen threw themselves at the king, but Maeghir’s blades caused a high price, but the former king’s champion could not block every thrust with his swords, so when Rhugga thrust his spear at Forodacil, the only available shield Maeghir had was his body, and with a last cry, he threw his body in front of the thrust, and the dreaded ghost spear of Rhugga pierced the lord of the Coldfells chest and stuck out the other side. Even in death, Maeghir continued to protect the king by capturing the spear with his body,   
Letting go of the spear, Rhugga had to dodge the king’s sword, but the aged monarch was at his life’s end. Contemptuously the Hillman Tark Arm placed his foot on the blood soaked chest of Maeghir and jerked his spear out of the dead man’s chest. Before him the king was tiring, and the Hillmen, led by the crazed Modrha, pressed him more. A blow from Modrha’s spear sent Caunedh Rhudaur, the sword wielded by Rhudaur’s kings since Aldarion, flying from the king’s grip. Shielding his queen’s body with his own, Forodacil waited for his death. The Ful Hiam woman was about to take his life, but Rhugga stopped him.   
“His life is mine, Modrha. Our people have waited for this for a long time.”   
“Your children shall not inherit this kingdom, but mine will!” the king defiantly said, as his impending doom cleared his eyes and revealed the future. But it did not save him. Rhugga thrust his spear into the king’s chest, and the room was silent as King Forodacil’s life fled and the Dúnedain’s grip on Rhudaur slipped away.  
Queen Thurdaewen screamed as the Hillmen began thrusting their spears into the fallen monarch’s body, but the queen was not forgotten. A serving lass was escorted by the green tattooed Hillwoman and slowly Thurdaewen recognized the resemblance between the two. In her hand was the head of Calenros Ilterendi, hanging by his hair from her grip, and his mouth was still moving and sound could still be heard from his lips.   
“Your aunt sends you her greetings. Shall I send her yours?” the serving lass asked before she dropped the head and grabbed Thurdaewen by her long hair. Jerking her head backwards, Calenros’ former mistress kissed the queen on the lips, then slipped a bronze dagger into the queen’s heart. The stricken woman tried to scream, but her slayer’s lips were over hers and her voice was lost in the strange embrace.   
When the queen slipped to the floor, the serving woman smiled, and the voice of the queen could be heard coming from her mouth. “The age of the Westmen is ended. The age of the Mebion Bron is here.”  
The year 1176 started out to be a bountiful year. But during midsummer, a scandal arose when Princess Arthoniel left Herubar Gûlar and fled her cousin Fëafuin because of his sexual relationship with her. By chance, she was rescued by Tir Maeghir Endril. The tir did not recognize the beautiful young maid, and took her back to Barad Calen. On the trip across the Trollshaws, Maeghir and Arthoniel fell in love. The night before they returned to the castle, Arthoniel seduced Maeghir, and the two slept together. But Arthoniel was recognized by Collheryn Endril as the princess, and she marched the two lovers to the king. When admitted to the king’s presence, Maeghir asked the king for his daughter’s hand in marriage, and to everyone’s surprise, the king agreed.   
Cameth Brin began to prepare for the wedding, but the Doom of Rhudaur gathered despite Maeghir’s best attempts. On the night of Ivaneth 25, Arthoniel was poisoned. The king was grief-stricken, as was her fiancé. The next night, the outlawed mage Fëafuin was seen leaving the princess’ bedroom where she had died, and the king offered a reward of gold equal to the weight of the assassin’s head. But mixed in with his grief was joy when Queen Thurdaewen revealed to the king that she was pregnant. 

A month later, Forodacil’s other daughter Dolendûiel was kidnapped just outside the walls of Tanoth Brin. Forodacil ordered most of his troops north to follow the kidnappers. But before the army could return, the Hillman High Chieftain Rhugga entered into the caverns that led secretly into Cameth Brin while the Hillmen surrounded the capital. Forodacil was woken from his sleep, and for the first time in years, his mind was clear. Not knowing what it was, Forodacil also woke Thurdaewen and together with their guard, they headed towards the gates. But Rhugga ambushed the king’s party on their way to the gates. Hîr Maeghir attacked the Hillmen from behind, and almost was able to force back the Hillmen until he threw his body before Rhugga’s spear to block a thrust into the king’s bare back. After the king’s former champion fell, soon Forodacil was slain by Rhugga while defending his wife from the marauder Hillmen. The attack came so suddenly that Forodacil was not able to retrieve many of the heirlooms of his family from the hidden vault in his chambers before he was slain.

Death and Legacy  
After Rhugga was crowned king, Morsûlwen Brannoss, the Uialambar (S. twilight doom) mystic that is responsible for burying the royal family, pleaded with Rhugga to properly bury Forodacil, and only the intervention of Mordaewen Maglilas allowed Forodacil to rest with his ancestors. But Forodacil’s spirit did not rest easily. His spirit, tied to the minor Ring of Power Ornya, still walked the halls of Bar Fernerain, unable to leave for the Halls of Mandos.

Personality and Appearance  
During Forodacil’s reign, his relations with his tiri was very strained. The king was jealous of Collheryn Endril’s popularity and valor shown on the battlefield that eclipsed Forodacil’s father during the siege of Mt. Gram in 1060. Despite the king’s best efforts, he tried to dissuade his own son from emulating Collheryn’s grandson Maeghir, but he was unsuccessful. The king was heart-broken when Maeghir brought Arthonion’s lifeless body back to Cameth Brin, and took it out on the young lord. His attitude did not improve when his daughter Arthoniel arrived at Cameth Brin with an accepted proposal for marriage with Maeghir. Only Collheryn’s opposition to the union made King Forodacil more agreeable to the marriage. During the last years of his life, Forodacil’s mental capacity was reduced due to the mind altering drugs he was given by Celebrain Forenya.

Family  
Forodacil was his father’s heir, but his young brother Forodestel was his parent’s favorite. His death hastened his father’s end, and Forodacil felt cheated of his parents’ love. Eventually, Forodacil married Gilthoniel Ilterendi in 1142, which was extremely late for a man of pure Dúnedain blood, and later Thurdaewen Maglilas in 1172. By his first marriage Forodacil had a son Arthonion and daughter Arthoniel. Forodacil had an illegitimate daughter Dolendûiel with Caranfin Amdircyll. 

Timeline  
1045 Born the son of Eldarion.   
1084-1096 Fights in the War of the Weathered Hills as the Captain of the Arahador.  
1102 Fights under his father at the Battle of the Ettendales against the goblins of Mt. Gram.  
1103 Lays siege to Mt. Gram. Every six months Forodacil would rotate command with his father between Mt. Gram and Cameth Brin.  
1104 Forodacil hakes as his mistress   
1105 Forodacil’s younger brother Hallas secretly fights in an assault against Mt. Gram and is slain.  
1107 King Eldarion dies, some say of a broken heart, and Forodacil becomes king.  
1108 Drained of money and troops, Forodacil breaks off the siege of Mt. Gram.  
1138 Tensions begin to mount between Rhudaur and Cardolan. Petty raids of burning and stealing livestock slowly build into more serious border raids. Forodacil takes the young daughter of House Amdircyll Caranfiniel as his mistress.  
1139 Cardolan mounts a punitive raid into Ilterendi lands, briefly laying siege to Dol Gil. Forodacil leads royal troops and breaks the siege.  
1140 The expected Cardolani offensive sputters when an illegitimate grandson of King Eldarion attacks Cardolani castles with an ancient Númenórean battle-golem. Forodacil awards him with a title. Cardolan endeavors to make peace with Rhudaur. They propose marriage between Prince Calimendil and Cenàriel Endril. This angers King Forodacil who suspects treachery on the part of House Endril.  
1142 Marries Gilthoniel Ilterendi.  
1145 Arthonion and Arthoniel, twins of Forodacil and Gilthoniel, are born at Rynd Morva Tarth on 20 February (30 Nénimë).  
1147 Forodacil’s mistress Caranfiniel gives birth to Forodacil’s daughter Dolendûiel  
1170 A deadly fever sweeps across the kingdom, born on a north wind from the plains of Angmar. The Queen herself dies from it, despite the best efforts and the last minute appearance of the Wizard Curunír. Arthoniel is taken as Curweb Erui of Curunír.  
1172 House Maglilas rises up in rebellion. Prince Arthonion leads the army north, and is slain, but the rebellion is put down. A despondent Forodacil weds Thurdaewen Maglilas to cement the end of the Rebellion.  
1176 Daughter Arthoniel reveals that Fëafuin Minasfëa abused her and he outlaws the Argelor. Grants Arthoniel permission to marry Maeghir Endril, but she is assassinated. Last child Dolendûiel is kidnapped and Forodacil orders the army after her. Slain by Rhugga during the Hillmen Uprising.


End file.
